Land /Water Wildlife

Here is a profile view of the wildcat, I can understand why she was not afraid of me. I find it hard to believe that hunting these magnificent creatures for SPORT is legal in many US states and Canada when all they are trying to do is survive, just like us. Is that what being a sportsman is all about? If so, count me out, they should try shooting them like I do if they want a real challenge.

 

Killing things for pleasure can not be called a sport.

 

While mum was engaged in finding something to eat, her three little kittens were engaged in something really important: wrestling. That is, until one saw me.
New York State has the longest hunting season on Bobcats, with no limit on the number of animals you can kill. I have spent the better part of my adult free time in the woods photographing wildlife, and rarely see these creatures. Out of curiosity, I have been asking people if they have EVER seen a wildcat, not a single one has said yes. Most did not know we had them in New York. They are obviously not as numerous as sparrows, which begs the question: why are they allowed to be hunted? I guess I will never understand the logics of government.

 

Stunning pics. You are so lucky to have seen wild bob cats au natural.
I think they are trying to introduce them back into the wild in Scotland and of course, down here in Cornwall, we have the elusive"black panther" being spotted, "rarely", in the distance, by a handfull of people travelling on the local moors.

 

We already have wildcats here in the Highlands @Goldenlily26 . They're still endangered, but are present in several areas there. The main problem in the past was the amount of crossing with domestic cats, which hugely reduced the authentic population

 

My Poppy is definitely a throwback judging by the markings in her coat. She is very loving, on her terms, I only used to see her at meal times in the summer, she had a multitude of nests in shady, cool, long grass etc.. She was an inveterate hunter and would take on anything that dared to put a paw on her patch. Sadly she is an ancient now, coming up for 20 years old so spends most of her time asleep in the conservatory. Warm, comfortable and dry.

 

American Red Squirrel, we don't see many of these anymore, they have problems competing with the gray squirrels.

 

My niece lives on the Isle of Wight where they have introduced the red squirrel, ropes across roads for them to use as highways etc. She is lucky enough to have red squirrels visit her garden, there are too many greys around here although some reds were introduced to a NT estate garden a few years ago. I haven't heard how they are doing, they had them in an enclosure so I felt it may not work very well for them.

 

I see a few red squirrels when I go up to the trossachs and around loch lomond and lots more near aviemore. Not got a decent picture of one in the wild, this one was at a feeding station

 

Yes- pretty common in Perthshire and many northern parts, as well as Loch Lomond/Trossachs area @Hanglow. Unfortunately, the greys are proceeding further and further north into their strongholds. I was lucky and got a pic of one when I was on my way to doing my 100th Munro in Glen Tilt/Blair Atholl. It was sitting up very nicely in a tree for me as I went along the glen. I have a pic of him/her on my wall.

I hope that succeeds in the IOW @Goldenlily26. Nothing has worked up here, and it's now a huge problem. The pine marten experiment didn't work as the greys breed too quickly and easily. I can't see how those ones where you are will thrive - not when you have greys. I can't see an enclosure being healthy for them either. It would have to be absolutely enormous, and if a grey got in, it's curtains.

 

The scheme on the I of W is working well as they exterminated the greys before starting to introduce the reds.
I haven't been back to Tresillian Gardens since their idea was initiated so have no idea what happened. I could not see it working.

 

Enjoyed the antics of some red scamps in the Lake District this morning

 

To my knowledge the red squirrel population on the Isle of Wight has always been there, it's one of the few areas protected from greys as the Solent acts as a barrier. I can remember visiting Osborne House as a child back in the 1970's and regularly seeing them. The odd grey does sneak across but the local conservation groups deal with any sightings.

 

Brownsea Island has a population of around 200 plus a few on neighbouring Furzey Island and not introduced.
Reds have had to compete with the introduced Eastern Greys from the US for a more than a century or so, gradually losing out and remaining in isolated areas.

 

Taken by my better half during our week in the Lakes, we spent a good 10 mins watching this beauty in Whinlatter forest