The Scottish wildcat is functionally extinct in the wild, with fewer than 300 individuals remaining — almost all hybrids with domestic cats. A last-chance captive breeding and reintroduction programme launched in 2023 at Alladale Wilderness Reserve.
Captive wildcats face significant welfare challenges: stress from captive confinement, inability to express natural hunting behaviour, and loss of natural social structures. The reintroduction programme uses specialised pre-release conditioning to restore hunting skills and reduce human association. Released animals in 2023 showed high initial survival rates but some individuals were killed on roads — indicating continued welfare risk from road infrastructure near release sites. Long-term welfare depends on whether prey availability (rabbits, voles) remains sufficient in release areas.