Skip to content
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Menu
  • Happy Health
  • Happy Mindset
  • Animal Wonders
  • About Us
    • Team
  • Subscribe
Happy News

These Extinct Wildcats Are Coming BACK

European wildcats, one of the UK’s most critically endangered mammals that disappeared from England due to human persecution and habitat loss, could make a historic return from extinction as conservationists plan to reintroduce 50 of these elusive carnivores to mid Devon countryside starting in 2028. The South West Wildcat Project, a partnership led by Devon Wildlife Trust, is moving forward after a University of Exeter study found that a colony could flourish in the area and showed that about 80% of people surveyed were positive about wildcat reintroduction. These wildcats, historically known as woodcats, were once widespread across Great Britain until they vanished from England and Wales, with only about 115 remaining in the wild in the Scottish Highlands where they’ve been classified as critically endangered despite protected status since 1988.

The south west of England was identified as a prime reintroduction site because of the woodland cover it offers across mid Devon, connected by other habitats that suit wildcats, though some concerns have been raised about potential impacts on poultry, gamebirds, and native bird species. Project lead Cath Jeffs emphasized that most measures already taken to stop predators like foxes from targeting farmed birds would work for wildcats, and that population explosions are unlikely since wildcats naturally live in low density numbers over wider areas and will be closely monitored. The team plans to tackle the threat of hybridization with feral and domestic cats by working with local welfare organizations to support neutering programms in areas where wildcats are introduced, ensuring the genetic purity that critics say is essential for the reintroduction’s success. While some farmers express concerns about effects on existing wildlife, conservationists are committed to working closely with locals to address issues during the phased reintroduction, proving that species once driven to extinction by humans can make remarkable comebacks with the right planning and community support.

PrevPreviousHow Fish Are Helping Solve Our Plastic Crisis
NextItaly’s Oldest Barista Has NO Plans To Stop Serving CoffeeNext

Recent Articles

Happy News

Artists And Creators Celebrate As OpenAI Shuts Down Controversial AI Video Platform Sora

March 25, 2026

OpenAI announced Tuesday it is shutting down Sora , its AI video-generation app that had become one of the most controversial platforms in the recent AI boom. “We’re saying goodbye to Sora,” the company posted on X. Since its launch as a standalone app in September 2025, Sora had been

Read More
Happy News

The Monarch Butterfly Population Just Jumped 64 Percent

March 25, 2026

Every winter, millions of monarch butterflies make one of the most extraordinary journeys in the natural world, traveling up to 2,800 miles from Canada and the United States to cluster on oyamel fir trees in the mountains of central Mexico, their wings blanketing the forest in a sight unlike anything

Read More
Happy News

She Beat Cancer And Then Adopted A Hawk

March 25, 2026

When the first Covid lockdown arrived, most people tried baking sourdough or following along with an exercise video. Candida Meyrick did something rather more unusual: she adopted a Harris Hawk fledgling, and the decision changed her life in ways she is still discovering. Candida, who had come through breast cancer

Read More
« Previous Next »
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility Notice
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Unsubscribe
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2026 HappyNews.