Time to save Britain’s forgotten cat, our native Wildcat?
The Highland Tiger campaign is on a mission to give this little known predator a PR make-over and help rescue the Scottish wildcat from the brink of extinction. Andy Langley, WMF’s education co-ordinator tells us more.
So, what’s Highland Tiger all about in a nutshell?
The Scottish (or European) wildcat is Britain’s most threatened mammal, yet bizarrely, most people don’t even know what it is! Highland Tiger seeks to bring the wildcat back into the public consciousness…and to give a damn about saving it.
What do you see as the principal objective/s of the project?
Recent conservation history has shown that if people understand and relate to a species, they will care about it. It is telling that more UK conservation funding goes into saving tigers than our own native feline. That’s a consequence of good marketing – the wildcat needs the same.
Why do you see this project as important? / Why are you passionate about it?
It strikes me as ironic that in a country of cat lovers, the wildcat has been completely ignored until very recently. We’ve sat and watched as millions of pounds have been poured into conserving other high-profile species whilst one of the most iconic and cultural flagship species has been forgotten. It may already be too late, but let’s hope not!
What role do you think projects such as Highland Tiger play in modern society?
We live in an age where communication is king. Visual media in particular influences our thought processes almost every minute of everyday. If slick advertising campaigns can persuade us all to buy a certain brand of washing powder, the same principle can be applied to getting more people to care about other species. Let’s face it, if you can’t ‘sell’ a wildcat, your marketing needs looking at.
How would you like Highland Tiger to develop in the next 5 years?
In five years time, I’d like to see Britain’s wildcat population having stabilised or on the increase. On a wider level, I’d like the wildcat to be as popular as the polar bear or tiger and if this is just too ambitious, at least as recognisable as the sea eagle or peregrine – two bird species that have become media celebrities in recent years.
What will be the lasting legacy of Highland Tiger?
Highland Tiger will only have a legacy if it succeeds. The alternative is an extinct species. So the legacy of this campaign has to be an iconic species returned from the brink and fulfilling its ecological role as it did for millennia.
