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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Helena Horton Environment reporter

Wildcats could be released in England for first time in hundreds of years

A captive Scottish wildcat kitten
A captive Scottish wildcat kitten. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Wildcats could be released in England for the first time in hundreds of years as the Wildlife Trusts recruit an expert to help introduce them back into the wild.

After being hunted to extinction, the European wildcat is now the UK’s rarest native mammal. They are larger than the domestic cat, which are bred from the wildcats of Africa. It has not been spotted in southern England since the 16th century, but now it looks possible that the animal will be found stalking the landscape once more.

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