Wild Cats and Old Fox Types: Established Ignorance and Dogma has Gone On For Far Too Long

 I have stated before that when extinction comes it is far too late to shout out that "Why did no one do anything?"

We saw the Old fox types gradually reaching extinction point in the 1800s through hunting and there is book after book by the 'sportsmen' of the day as well as numerous journal articles all stating that it was so sad that the "old foxes" were soon going to join the wolf in extinction. So what did they do?

Kept on killing them.

Far easier to get on with the 'fun' and import thousands more each year for hunting from Europe. In doing this the hunts gave us the New fox -the ones we know today.  They also have to take responsibility for the introduction of mange across Britain thanks to their dealers.

We lost the Old foxes. We gradually lost the English and Welsh wild cats although evidence shows that they hung on into the 20th century. The current "wild tabby" in Scotland is possibly the fourth generation of wild cat. The "true" wild cat never made it to the 1850s in Scotland.

As it stands my colleague, LM, has the earliest taxidermy specimens of Scottish wild cats and one day we hope that some lab will run DNA on these (yes, that can be done) and the earliest Mountain fox taxidermy -and these foxes filled in the niche that the jackal had in Europe and coyote had in the Americas and, in fact, the specimen we have is larger than a coyote.

I have found one -just ONE- English wild cat taxidermy with a provenance that is beyond question. It matches early 1800s descriptions of the English wild cat and its colouring is different to the extirpated Scottish cat.

It seems possible some Welsh and English wild cats also had a lighter coat colouring but far more specimens are required to confirm this 100% and here is what I like to call the "kicker". During the 19th century Lord Penryn's Welsh estate gamekeepers killed over 2,300 wild cats. There are recorded -recorded- wild cat encounters and kills in Wales in the 1890s and 1909 and not feral cats but "perfect specimens". 

I have also managed to fully detail the story of "the Achill Island wolves" and map where there are unique island foxes and cats in the UK.

I was told by naturalists and two zoologists that the first Red Paper (2010) when it came to UK fox history was "explosive". No one actually paid attention as it rocked HMS Dogma. That book was just over 200pp in total while the new version is over 360 pages and includes colour images and some never seen in print before.  The wild cat manuscript is currently reaching 200 pp and I am JUST starting on Scottish wild cats, again illustrated with rare or never before in print images.

Much kudos goes to my colleague LM who has gathered an incredible amount of physical evidence.

All of this has been done without any financial backing or grants -none exist in the UK. I do not expect to make back any of the thousands of pounds spent over the decades because I never set out to make money. I would like some but it never works out that way. Unless a publisher can be found for both books I intend to put them for sale online for one year and, if they do not sell, then delete them.

Considering that my 2000 wild cats paper was 28pp I think over 200pp for the update is ample! 

Zoology and wildlife "experts" being complacent and pushing dogma has gone on for far too long. They all need to be re-educated while the public simply needs educating if interested.