Meet Staffin the wildcat at Ottery’s Escot

A wildcat is settling into his new life at Escot Park.

Wildwood Trust, which operates a visitor centre at the site, has introduced Staffin as part of its rewilding programme. He will soon be joined by a young female and their offspring will be part of a national breeding programme, which aims to rescue the species from extinction. Once native across Britain, there are only 400 pure wildcats left in Scotland – the result of a loss of suitable habitat and their breeding with domestic cats, diluting the population.