Highland tiger caught on camera

Highland wild cats are notoriously shy and secretive, but a new research project is providing conservationists with an insight to the way these - and other rare Scottish animals, including the golden eagle - live and behave.

Specialist camera equipment have been attached to trees in the Cairngorms National Park and, although the project is still in its early stages, the cameras are already providing some fantastic images. The cameras, known as photo-traps, use motion technology and infra-red technology, allowing the conservationist to capture images of passing animals over an extended period of time.

RARELY SEEN:Efforts are being made to save the  Scottish wildcat. Picture: Laurie Campbell

Only 400 wildcats left

The research is being led by Dr David Hetherington of the Cairngorms National Park Authority and he believes the camera traps will further understanding about wildcat habitat and behaviour - all vital in the ongoing fight to save the wildcat.

The wildcat population in Scotland is perilously low - experts believe the population could be only about 400, so the battle is one to save the animal from extinction and is one of the UK's last remaining large predators.

Douglas Richardson, of the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig near Aviemore, said: "We are dealing with an animal that's the last of its kind in the British Isles. We formerly had lynx and other big, dangerous and interesting animals. But this is our last feline predator and we are duty bound to protect it."

Domestic cats the biggest threat

The biggest threat to the cat's future is posed by the domestic cat and interbreeding - and work is ongoing to educate domestic cat owners into having their pets neutered.

Meanwhile, the public are becoming increasingly conscious of the animals plight - and highland cat conservation site www.highlandtiger.com created a Facebook group called Highland Tiger which now has more than 1,000 members. The Highland Cat is one of ten British mammals featured on the Royal Mail's Action for Species stamps to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity 2010.