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

Fish Communication Finally Understood By Humans

February 5, 2026

Scientists have identified and matched underwater sounds to specific fish species living off the coast of British Columbia in a discovery that could help improve how fish populations are monitored and protected. This will finally answer the age old question of what noises fish make to speak to each other

Read More
Happy News

Cows Are Even Smarter Than We Thought

February 5, 2026

Veronika the cow has amazed researchers by using a broom to scratch specific areas of her body demonstrating tool use, a skill that was not previously known to be possessed by cattle and calling into question the previous assessment of the cognitive abilities of these farm animals. Study leader Alice

Read More
Happy News

An iPhone Photo Solved A 60 Year Botanical Mystery

February 5, 2026

A plant long presumed extinct in the wild has been rediscovered in Australia ending nearly six decades without a confirmed sighting. Researchers say the small slender shrub called Ptilotus senarius had not been recorded since 1967 and was effectively written off as lost until new evidence emerged last summer on

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.