These elusive and iconic animals are under threat due to interbreeding with domestic cats, habitat loss, disease and persecution.

The Angus Glens was one of six priority areas selected for wildcat conservation in Scotland.

This project monitored the wildcat population and sought to protect wildcats by:

• Conducting a Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return programme to manage feral, hybrid and domestic cat populations in Wildcat Priority Areas;
• Developing the Wildcat Captive Breeding Programme; and
• Promoting best practice land management and responsible domestic cat ownership.

Saving Wildcats, the successor project to Scottish Wildcat Action, builds on the achievements of Scottish Wildcat Action and has a number of aims, including the establishment of Britain's first large-scale dedicated conservation ‘breeding for release’ centre for wildcats and to restore the wildcat population through releases of wildcats into the wild in the Cairngorms.