LACTATING FEMALE- KITTENS HOPEFULLY SEEN SOON!!!!!!!!!
Hi All
It has been a busy summer so far, with field work taking place all over Scotland and new landowners on board and new sites being surveyed.
You will all remember the pregnant female we showed you, that was found on camera barely a few hundred metres from where Finlay was rehomed. Well, we have caught her on camera again and just look at the difference. If you zoom in you can see that her belly is no longer bulging but sagging. It looks very much like she has given birth and is now lactating. We have no idea where she is denning and we of course wouldn’t go anywhere near it, but her behaviour (out hunting in the day) and body condition, strongly suggest that she has kittens.
It is extremely exciting to think there is a beautiful litter tucked away somewhere safe. This footage was captured just over a week ago, so the timings all stack up. We dare to dream that in the not too distant future, we will get glimpse of her being followed by her family of ‘little humbug’ kittens. How joyous that would be.
We haven’t seen Finlay for a while but that does not concern us as he roams widely. There have been possible sightings on a nearby estate which we are following up. However just because we haven’t caught him on camera, doesn’t mean he isn’t passing through. Even in the early days when he was feeding twice daily, we never once got him on a camera trap in the surrounding areas, even though we would see him out enjoying himself in the woods and fields. All the pictures we have ever posted of him were taken on hand held cameras. So who knows what he has been up to, but that is the gift of freedom.
We will of course let you know if we get any kitten footage and if any of the sightings are confirmed as Finlay.
It is all just wonderfully exhilarating and we will leave you to imagine what is going on inside a hidden, secret den, somewhere in a remote part of the Highlands.
We have a very big Clashindarroch update to follow very soon, so keep watching.
All the very best and Enjoy
Emily and the Wildcat Haven Team