Two captive-bred Scottish wildcats released in Cairngorms die

Almost 30 wildcats have been released in the Cairngorms since last year as part of an effort to prevent the animals from vanishing from Scotland.

In the wild the species is extinct or on the brink of extinction, according to research.

Saving Wildcats said this year’s release had been challenging due to bad summer weather.

But it said Midge’s stomach was found to be full of voles and mice, suggesting she had been doing well before she was killed.

The project’s Dr Helen Senn said life in the wild for animals was “incredibly challenging”.

She said: “Immediately after release they are particularly vulnerable as they learn to adapt to their new life in the wild, to locate themselves in their environment, to learn about threats, and to become efficient hunters.

“Nobody is more saddened by the loss of these animals than the people working with them, because a lot of care is put into providing each released animal with the best chance possible.”