Studie über wilde Füchse und Hundeartige (f 1976) * Étude sur le renard sauvage et les canidés (f 1976)
I have to admit that after 30 odd years (research notes first published in ) of being called all sorts of names because of my research findings on (just) wild cats it is nice to see that the "professionals" are catching up and providing even more solid evidence for my 40+ years of wild cat research.
Yet these people will not even accept the offer of free copies of my research work to solidify what they are finding.
On with life.
We are currently at a 26 pages long fox death register for 2025 and 351 foxes. These are only the reported ones and based on previous years the actual death number is likely twice that.
Interestingly there is more wild cat news, this time re Ireland in a post By Shane Ó Curraighín North West Correspondent RTE Wildcat bones found in Co Clare dated to 5,500 years ago https://www.rte.ie/news/munster/2025/1128/1546238-wildcat-bones/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOX4qFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeU8Qdaykxy_dOafZ4niriwGP0ENSMVLQcudPTovkNA1j4_GqnU8SLrasf4Gs_aem_pjkQB5WFo6agPcsMNjFgSA
The first directly dated wildcat bones found in Ireland have been identified, confirming that the species inhabited the island more than 5,500 years ago.
Archaeologist Dr Marion Dowd of Atlantic Technological University made the discovery in Glencurran Cave in the Burren, Co Clare
Until recently, none of Ireland's prehistoric cat remains had been radiocarbon dated, leaving uncertainty over whether earlier finds were wildcats or domestic arrivals.
Radiocarbon dating conducted at Queen's University Belfast confirmed the remains of the species, extinct in Ireland, are more than 5,500 years old, dating to the Middle Neolithic period.
Dr Dowd discovered 39 bones belonging to an adult wildcat that were subsequently identified by zooarchaeologist Margaret McCarthy.
Ancient DNA analysis at the University of Rome Tor Vergata confirmed the animal was a male European wildcat, distinct from modern domestic cats and Near Eastern wildcats.
Dr Dowd said the breakthrough "transforms what we thought we knew about Ireland’s ancient wildlife".
"It’s important for us to build-up a database of the animals that once existed in the Irish landscape that have now become extinct.
"It joins bears, wolves and other animals that would’ve been a core part of the Irish ecosystem and landscape 5,000 years ago," Dr Dowd said.
Archaeologist James Kyle said Dr Dowd’s work is hugely significant as it pushes back the date range for this animal in Ireland at least 4,000 years.
"It’s the kind of thing that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. It answers a lot of questions, but it also poses a lot of questions in terms of the biodiversity of Ireland in the past.
"This is the first time we can say with certainty that European wildcats lived in prehistoric Ireland," Dr Dowd said.
Small numbers of cat bones were previously found on prehistoric sites, including the Mesolithic site of Lough Boora, Co Offaly and the Neolithic passage tomb of Newgrange, Co Meath.
Dr Dowd said that without radiocarbon dating, it was impossible to confirm the age or species of the previous archaeological discoveries.
Wildcats were once widespread across Europe but declined sharply from the 1700s due to habitat loss, hunting, and competition with domestic cats.
Archaeologist Adam Collins said the finding opens up the diversity of animals that were in Ireland during the early Neolithic period.
"I think it’s only going to get better between the scientific techniques and the opportunities that are available.
"We’re going to see a lot more of this type of work being done and hopefully painting a much clearer picture of our past," Mr Collins said.
Wildcat populations remain in Scotland and in Iberia, however, numbers of the legally protected continue to decline primarily through roadkill, poaching and habitat loss.
As the domestic cat population grew, wildcat numbers plummeted. Although similar in size and appearance to domestic cats, they are a different species.
Dr Dowd has said further radiocarbon dating and genetic analysis of discoveries from prehistoric and medieval sites would help in understanding our past.
"We’re interested in establishing when did wildcat become extinct. We don’t know the answer to that, only further analysis will determine the answer.
"It’s important because we want to understand the past landscapes in prehistoric Ireland; the animals that lived in those landscapes and the types of ecosystems," he said.
Dr Dowd’s findings have been published in a co-authored paper recently published in the Journal of Irish Archaeology.
(c)2025 T. Hooper
Science has a very interesting item but, sadly, in the
You can check the summary out here:https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt2642?fbclid=IwY2xjawOX1TVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe7fIQ2KaTst1mbR52NHR1jcQsURa9GykgMoRxVwqmiDhmQmOdNfKdnJvxFfo_aem_2lYuqmXFreAdp8o6CkmxiQ
The dispersal of domestic cats from North Africa to
Editor’s summary
Tracing the origins of domestic cats (Felis catus) has been limited by a lack of ancient DNA for these animals, as well by their morphological similarity to the African wildcat (F. lybica lybica) and European wildcat (F. sylvestris). De Martino et al. generated low- to medium-coverage genomes for 87 ancient, museum, and modern cats (see the Perspective by Losos). They found that domestic cats are most genetically similar to African wildcats, although there has been widespread gene flow between wild and domestic populations. European samples that cluster with domestic cats only appear in the 1st century CE, suggesting a later dispersal of domestic cats than previously thought. Although broader sampling is needed, this study shows the complexity of population dynamics that is often revealed when looking beyond mitochondrial DNA. —Corinne Simonti
Structured Abstract
INTRODUCTION
The domestic cat (Felis catus) originated from the African wildcat (Felis lybica lybica), which is presently distributed across North Africa and the
RATIONALE
The timing and circumstances of cat domestication and dispersal remain uncertain owing to the limited number of ancient and modern genomes analyzed thus far. Questions remain about the natural distribution ranges of African and European (Felis silvestris) wildcats in the past and their potential admixture. A recent study showed that ancient gene flow might confound the reconstruction of cat dispersal, particularly when based on mtDNA. The origin of African wildcat populations in the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and
RESULTS
We generated a genomic time transect spanning the past 11,000 years and found that cats previously identified as carrying a F. l. lybica mtDNA clade from Neolithic and Chalcolithic southeast Europe and Anatolia, dated between 9500 and 6300 years ago, were F. silvestris wildcats whose ancestors hybridized with F. l. lybica. Ancient genomes revealed an increasing trend of African wildcat ancestry ranging from 9 to 34% eastward, from
The earliest cat belonging to the genetic cluster of as F. l. lybica and F. catus in Europe originates from the site of Genoni, in Sardinia (
CONCLUSION
Our findings challenge the commonly held view of a Neolithic introduction of domestic cats to
The introduction of domestic cats to
The genomes of ancient cats from archaeological sites across Europe and Anatolia (dark circles in the map) revealed that domestic cats were introduced to Europe from North Africa starting at ~2 thousand years ago (kya), several millennia after the onset of the Neolithic in
Abstract
The domestic cat (Felis catus) descends from the African wildcat Felis lybica lybica. Its global distribution alongside humans testifies to its successful adaptation to anthropogenic environments. Uncertainty remains regarding whether domestic cats originated in the Levant,
fin summary
(c)2025 respective copyright owner
There was established trading through sea merchants and it is how a barbary macaque (baboon) got to Iron Age Ireland as a "gift" or some such -dug up on the Time Team TV series. There are (if you do not read or study or follow evidence) supposedly no wild cats in Ireland -in more modern times European wild cat types have been out in the wild and if not escapes from private collections likely released for shooting 'sport' as in England. However, the historically reported (but not believed by the established zoological hierarchy who discredited their own colleagues) was North African wild cat and there is at least one pelt of a descendent to prove it.
Romans are always given the credit!
Wild cats in the UK were shot, poisoned, clubbed and torn to bits by hounds for fun and succumbed to extinction by the 1860s -for over 100 years before that naturalists wrote that if it were not for feral domestic cats interbreeding with wild cats then the wild cats would have become extinct "hundreds of years ago". Gamekeepers, "country squires" and 'sportsmen' still kill the current generation of New wild cats (themselves hybridised) along with any other cat they see to "prevent inter-breeding with wild cats" -that inter-breeding is what has kept the New wild cats in existence.
(c)2025 respective copyright holder
Humans kill for fun and then pretend it was conservation and as a reminder of that 'fun': in the 1960s in
Protected species status means nothing in the
And squirrels?
1981: The original protection was granted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, making intentional acts against red squirrels and their shelters illegal.
2004: Protection was extended in
2006: Red squirrels became a Section 41 species of Principal Importance for Conservation under the Natural Environment & Rural Communities (NERC) Act.
So why are forestry companies still killing them with impunity -money? Why are private estate gamekeepers still killing them as "vermin"? Where are all of the prosecutions because it seems that everyone involved in wildlife knows this is going on but...oh. "Private property" (and money) and Royal Estates.
If you want to learn the truth about British wild cats then read the results of 40 plus years research: The Red Paper 2022 -Felidae.
Seasonal Canine Illness (SCI) is a serious condition affecting dogs that occurs after walking in woodlands, primarily between August and November.
Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and abdominal pain, which appear 24 to 72 hours after a woodland walk. The cause is unknown, but it is suspected to be linked to harvest mites, though it is not the only cause for these symptoms.
While it can be fatal, prompt veterinary treatment, often involving fluid therapy, antibiotics, and anti-sickness drugs, typically leads to recovery within 7-10 days.
Animal Watch Update on the Preston Wolfdogs Found Wandering the Streets
Thank you for standing with them — and with these three beautiful pups — on their road to recovery.
We have proved via necropsies that the often cited "Adenovirus is rampant ion British foxes" spouted by rescues (who do not submit dead foxes for post mortem examination) and some vets is an incredibly false statement based on only a couple of old cases. There were over 80 foxes that underwent necropsies and not a single case of adenovirus.
The biggest killer of youngish foxes was leptospirosis -as discussed in the post giving the PME results. I now find that people at rescues are calling any fox that they get and which dies and has even mild signs of jaundice as "leptospirosis".
Jaundice can be caused by a number of things -as I have outlined more than once- and you can only say lepto was a cause of death if it has undergone post mortem examination (PME) and been tested.
Again, rescues I have been in contact with make up all sorts of reasons to not submit foxes for post mortems. The worst excuse that I have heard more than once is "It feels wrong to put it through that". It is dead. It cannot feel. It can, however, provide information on any i9llness etc in local foxes which then means vets can treat others.
Please stop stating leptospirosis and PLEASE submit your fox that dies for PME.
For more than twenty years (I think 24 years) I have submitted forms for grants from the EU to continue the fox work and as The British Fox and Wild Canids Study is the only body dealing with fox research and study you might think I might get some success. Unfortunately, grants only go out to selective people/groups who meet the current trend criteria.
I am a white male over 30 so that is an automatic "no". Even though my DNA is 52% German and 7.3% French which over rides my 16% English pulling the "I'm European" card does not help!
In 50 years I have spent far more on the research than I would like to think about. There is no funding for fox research in the UK where foxes are treated like badgers as "dirty mammals" the fate of which no one really cares about (the joke of badgers being a "protected species" is well known).
The work in identifying and getting all of the evidence to reveal the true Old British foxes hunted to extinction, the Old wild cats and so on has been costly. Why did badgers survive the campaigns of melecide when felicide and vulpicide succeeded? I found out why. All with no support.
In 2017 I added a PayPal donation button to the old blog but when a Blogger "hiccup" saw that blog go I had to start from scratch again in 2021 -I added the donation button again. Old blog and new blog there have never been any donations which really signifies how interested people in the UK are in native species -if they are social media "Like" photo opportunities then they are interested
I think that the Fox Deaths Study report being officially suppressed (and, no, neither I or anyone I have discussed this with can make any sense out of that) and I still have the threat of future actions against me hanging over my head.
We need Old Fox and Old wild cat DNA carried out but no UK labs are interested let alone willing to offer their services for free (there would be the possibility of technical papers but "just foxes" I suppose).
The Red Papers were supposed to be works that would at least bring in money to continue the research work but like even the smaller papers -no interest. Again, I spent a LOT of money ordering copies and sending them out to zoologists and organisations that should be interested but not a single response.
In short, the UK is not the place to carry out research and 50 years of long term fox research has achieved nothing other than bankrupting me! So when someone does ask when I am going to post more updated research I am sorry to say that will not be a regular thing because this is a free to view blog (I declined the pay to read option) and quite honestly everything in both Red Papers is fully referenced and if you have a copy you will find out so much that you will not be told in the dogma that are modern wildlife books.
Without sponsors/donators the work hits stumbling blocks.
My thanks to all of those, mainly outside the UK, who have read the Fox Death Study post. Unfortunately threats as well as official suppression of the report (don't ask as it makes no sense) means that it is not available in its printed form.
If you are a vet or naturalist/zoologist requiring more information I can be contacted via email at hoopert1957@gmail.com
The Fox Deaths Study post can be found here:
https://foxwildcatwolverineproject.blogspot.com/2025/04/bristol-foxes-study-looking-at-causes.html
I was reminded today of a time that I was being interviewed by the BBC (before I blacklisted them in 1997) for a Radio 4 programme. We had briefly covered my work with exotics in the UK and there was an element of frustration from the BBC reporter that I would not discuss the work I did with UK police forces. I had explained that I was on the Partners Against Wildlife Crime list of experts and that I was also covered by the then Public Records Act (is that still a thing?). I advised forces and forces had observers contact me and so there was back and forth and like the police I treated people I spoke to in the greatest confidentiality -in fact in some cases it was the only way to get them to tell me what they saw and not fear ridicule or their name all over newspapers. I would not betray that confidence or today.
The BBC reporter was looking through notes and then seemed to have an idea: "How about telling us what animals have influenced you and your work?" There was a smile as the poor reporter expected something good.
I spoke for 30 minutes on jackals and hyenas. All the time the reporter was making notes and seemed as though on the verge of a breakthrough. "We have those in the UK -you've had reports come in?" Although I had explained everything the reporter's ears were selective in what they heard.
I had once had to travel across Bristol, after a snow storm disrupted roads, to get to BBC Whiteladies Road studio to be interviewed by a radio 5 reporter. A two hour journey there and another two hours home after an hour long interview. Altogether 55 minutes had been recorded. I waited for the segment on the radio days later. One minute. Five hours of my life wasted and never compensated as promised for a just about 1 minute sound bite. That could have been done over the phone.
When it comes to the question of "Why jackals?" the answer is simple.Around 1977 I was at a meeting of the British Flying Saucer Bureau in Bristol. I was invited by an astronomer who only informed me just before that he would not attend "You do your stuff" he told me...I still have no idea what my "stuff" was. Anyway, I was approached by a short man with rather odd clothing and a flattened "Russian Diplomat" style hat: Franklyn Angus Davin-Wilson He smiled at me and said "Your new here, aren't you?" As he held out his hand his smiled showed two long vampire fangs. He was rather disappointed at my reaction -people were usually either taken aback jumped back. I learnt that the teeth were actually from a dead fox and a dentist friend had made a false set of teeth for him to wear. He smiled again and told me that he liked the lack of panic "I think we are going to be friends" he told me.
During our following conversation he learnt of my interest in wildlife. As it happened he was also a very keen naturalist and I later inherited his collection of 19th century books on lepidoptera, arachnids and beetles. He asked what I thought about the "Vampire sheep slayer of Badminton" to which my response was that I had never heard of vampire sheep before; "Yes, they never thought that title through" was his response. The killing of sheep and draining of blood from their bodies had been reported on by Charles Hoy Fort (after who the "Forteans" name themselves). Fort had an habit of misreporting or even giving sources that contained none of what he included in his books. I have dealt with these incidents in both the 2010 and updated 2022 Red Paper Canids.
It took a few years of trawling through old newspapers at the Bristol Central Library before I had amassed a good amount of information on the case. It could be said that this was my first Jackal in the UK case.
The Sevenoaks jackal was another (sadly, all of the cryptozoologists and Forteans who use my material never credit me). I had no idea at the time that for almost 50 years I would be studying jackals or that it would lead me to discovering why jackals were in the UK and the standard explanation was always that they had escaped travel;ling menageries (I leave out the brainless theory that they were somehow supernaturally transported here and then vanished).
Oddly, this led into my research on coyotes in the UK and wolves -again fully explained in my books even though at first I doubted what I had found as it was all in plain sight and easily findable but people had forgotten or preferred fantasy or dogma over fact. Incidentally, a lot of these 'mystery canid' reports come from the same areas where we get (historically to today) puma, lynx and panther reports: big hunting estates.
What about the hyena then? Again, late 1970s I was told about this mystery creature known as "The Beast of Gevaudan" that slaughtered live stock and people between 1764-1767 in France. Forteans and cryptozoologist had it marked down as a paranormal creature, a werewolf (I'm not joking), a Dire wolf -an extinct species of canine which was native to the Americas during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs (125,000–10,000 years ago). Other Forteans seem to almost relish the theory that the 'beast' was a child sex killer (again, I am not joking) despite not all the victims being young or human.
There were certain t6hings in the accounts that as I read them struck a memory and the animal I had in mind was neither a "freak gigantic wolf" nor an extinct species. I was thinking of hyena. Today "copy and paste" is almost -it is- standard for people writing on these topics since they have no idea everything they need is in what someone wrote before them...and that writer probably also copied from someone else. No one seems to have looked at how the animal attacked and killed or the geography of the area.
Back in those days before the internet you wrote letters and it might take a week or two but you got responses. It takes a minute for an email to out out and no one responds now. But, as outlined in Mysterious and Strange Beasts, I received a reply and a paper published by a museum and it clearly identified the beast as a hyena. The fur was in storage up until (possibly) 1950s when it went "missing". The British press of the day even mocked the French over being messed about by a hyena.
A one off hyena killer. Well, uh, not really because there were other "beasts" in France at the time and some of those appear to have been hyena. Remnant population spreading out across a part of France or escapees breeding and living wild -that we cannot answer, However, after many decades I am still trying to find one last piece of evidence that may indicate that there was a population that eventually died off through inbreeding (I am currently trying to find a copy of that source).
People think I am odd because I like hyena (or "hyenas" if you prefer). But I am still studying and researching hyena as I am jackals I have hefty files and one day I hope these may help promote further historical research as everything is referenced -sometimes with more than four reference sources.
That hyena and jackals crop up in my work on Old British foxes and even wild dogs should not be surprising. For many involved in Fortean or cryptozoology "it was a clearly identified dog" is not sensationalist or sexy enough to sell magazines or books. It always has to be "A previously unknown big cat"/ "Hyena"/ "Dire wolf"/ or "paraform (paranormal) creature".
As I have noted before there is only one full time fox researcher (50 years) and only one body (The British Fox (and Wild Canids) Study f ...
