On the 14^th February 2022, Finlay was seized by the police without warning and we believe without justification. Yesterday at around 4:30pm he was returned to us. He was detained for four and half months and we, along with our legal team have been fighting as hard as possible for his return.

We are exhausted, emotionally traumatised and deeply upset by the conduct of the police, however it is now clear that Finlay too has suffered both physical and psychological damage at their hands. When he left he was in prime condition, his coat was perfect and so was his body condition. He has never had any illness of any kind throughout the entire period of our care.

However, yesterday we were handed a document by PC Richard Smith, the Officer in Charge from North Wales Police. The notes are extremely disturbing. They show Finlay has developed gastrointestinal issues and has had to have medication. It transpires that he was also shedding a lot which is a common response to extreme stress in animals. The notes also suggest that he has been over grooming and as a result the report states,’ His faecals became small, dark and very dry and when broken open were solid with hair’. The report goes on to say he was seen straining. It seems very clear that the extreme stress and boredom has resulted in overgrooming and a dangerously high ingestion of his own fur. Over grooming sadly occurs in so many zoo animals and is a coping mechanism to deal with the extreme captivity they feel.  He never did this in our care. The notes we have, are very sadly evidence of psychological and physiological damage as a result of what has happened to him in his 4 and half month incarceration.

As you have all seen, we housed Finlay in a huge and naturalistic enclosure where he thrived under our care. He had that air of superiority that all happy, healthy cats have. Indeed some of you called him ‘King Finlay’. He was relaxed and at peace and living a stimulating life. The animal we got back yesterday is very different. Gone is the swagger, the confidence, the air of superiority. Instead he is nervous and anxious. We have never heard Finlay yowl before, but yesterday he yowled for hours and nothing we could do would stop him. He was inconsolable. It has had us in tears, it is heart breaking and the thought of what he has endured is almost too much to consider.

However as you all know Finlay is a fighter and we will do all we can to rebuild and fix him so he can be hopefully be happy again.

Throughout this tortuous 4 and half months, in our opinion the police have inflicted unnecessary suffering and cruelty on both Finlay and the people in our team who were looking after him. They have acted recklessly and without due care. The sheer incompetence and lack of compassion they have displayed is astonishing. It is likely that tens of thousands of pounds of tax payers money have been wasted by the police and the result of all that is a damaged cat that simply did not deserve this.

This cannot happen again to any animal (or the people caring for them) and everybody who has had a hand in causing this suffering needs to be held to account. As you all know, we are not afraid of giving a voice to the voiceless and we are more determined than ever to save the Scottish wildcat and also to get Finlay the Justice he deserves.

We are deeply upset, but extremely focussed, so more updates will follow very shortly. In the meantime, Finlay’s welfare is our absolute priority.

And just to clear up some of the misinformation that is floating about. Finlay has not been DNA tested, but more on that later. Beware the trolls, they will be out in force, but is a very sick minded individual indeed, who gloats over an animal’s suffering. Sadly such vile people exist.

Thanks as always.

The Wildcat Haven team and Finlay.

Hi All

Apologies for the lack of updates but we are deeply saddened to inform you that Finlay has still not been returned. Nine weeks have now passed and we still have no knowledge of where he is being kept or under what conditions. We are obviously greatly concerned for his future.

It is causing us a great deal of anguish and upset and he is permanently in our thoughts. As we informed you, we have instructed a highly experienced law firm to assist us with this matter. They are in regular contact with the police. In light of the police /lawyer involvement it means there are limitations on what we can share with you all. We share your frustration and are sorry if that’s not as much as you would like but we’re very grateful for everyone’s continued support.

Thank you for all your messages and we will update you whenever we are able to. We are in absolutely no doubt how much Finlay means to each and every one of you and as you know, we don’t give up. We certainly haven’t given up on Finlay and never will. He deserves his chance at freedom.

There is a lot going on and the  Public Inquiry hearing to save the Clashindarroch went as well as we could have hoped for.  Closing submissions are now lodged and we will provide a full update later this week.

Many thanks as always

The Wildcat haven Team and Finlay

It is an exceptionally busy time and we are still in the midst of the Public Inquiry process where we are putting forward our case to stop Vattenfall, ( a company owned entirely by the Swedish Government) from developing a second windfarm in the Clashindarroch Forest. This site is home to most important population of Scottish wildcats in existence. Such development and disturbance could lead to the extinction of this population which would be catastrophic for the Scottish wildcat.

We had the actual hearing on the 2nd march and we are now in the process of writing our closing submissions. You can watch the hearing on this link. I will warn you though that it is very clunky and there are technical issues with this link. Strangely, the other non wildcat sessions all seem to work fine. Perhaps just another coincidence hey. Here it is. We give our evidence in the afternoon session 3 to 4 hours in. 

https://dpea.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/649473

Vattenfall have employed a QC called Marcus Trinick and they put forward their Ecological consultant, Mr Paul Bradshaw from a company called MBEC, as a witness. In his witness statement, Mr Bradshaw has admitted that there are wildcats in the Clashindarroch and that the site is of National significance. However, when giving evidence there was a clear attempt to backpedal from this position and claim that they are just hybrids. Trinick and Bradshaw then seemed to take a position that the Scottish wildcat doesn’t actually even exist and that they are not a separate and unique sub species or evolutionary significant unit, worthy of conservation. Perhaps they forgot that the Scottish wildcat has been separated from mainland European wildcats for around 10,000 years.

It gets worse, Mr Bradshaw in his witness statement relied on a  German study that looked at the impact of windfarms on wildcats. He used a statement from the study to suggest that the operational phase of windfarms causes no significant displacement. However, he omitted to comment on the preceding paragraphs which state the following,  ‘the construction phase presents potential hazards that can lead to the killing of kittens in particular, or to the displacement of wildcats’. Mr Bradshaw attempted to convince the Inquiry that windfarms are not harmful wildcats when they operate, but didn’t say that’s because all the wildcats and their kittens have already been killed and displaced during the building phase. It is blatant cherry picking and a total misrepresentation of the facts. Remember that the Ecological consultant is supposed to be independent of Vattenfall and work objectively.

So we had an attempt to dismiss the importance of the Clashindarroch wildcats, followed by a convenient omission that windfarm construction  kills wildcat kittens and displaces adults.

However, they stooped to even lower levels than this. We have previously told you that a whistle-blower had come forward who claimed that the presence of wildcats on the site was kept secret from the relevant agencies. Well just prior to the Inquiry a report was leaked to us. It is from 2013 and is a report produced by the Ecological Clerk of works. This report was paid for by Vattenfall and has their name on the front of it. The report makes clear reference to the existence of possible wildcats on the site. This is of course hugely significant evidence. Such a report should have been provided to the Inquiry by Vattenfall but it wasn’t. At the start of the hearing on the link above, you will see that our lawyer raises this issue and attempts to get the report included as evidence. You will notice the vehement objection by Vattenfall’s QC to prevent this, denying the existence/validity of this document. Well yesterday the document was formally accepted as evidence by the inquiry. The whistle blower was right. Vattenfall have withheld documents from public scrutiny and have consistently betrayed the existence of Scottish wildcats in the Clashindarroch. It is shameless and it is blatant and beyond doubt. Such suppression of crucial information that can impact their development applications, appears to be a clear attempt at Corporate Fraud by Vattenfall. Big money is at stake here. The documents can be seen on our news page at:

https://www.wildcathaven.com/news

So we fight on, uncovering evidence that was never meant to see the ljght of day, giving a voice to the otherwise voiceless wildcats.  We won’t give up and with your support, we can save these priceless wildcats. We are in for a long haul so if you want to support our work, then you can do so at:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Many thanks as always.

The Wildcat Haven Team and Finlay

We wanted to give you an update on Finlay. Four weeks have passed and has still not been returned. We have no have no knowledge of where he is being kept or under what conditions. We are absolutely devastated and we know you all are too. We have received a huge amount of messages of support which we are truly grateful for and please forgive us if we don’t reply. It’s a combination of capacity, but also because this entire situation is just so upsetting.

We have instructed a highly experienced law firm to assist us with this matter. They are in regular contact with the police. In light of the police /lawyer involvement it may mean there are some limitations on what we can share with you all. We’re sorry if that’s not as much as you would like but we’re very grateful for everyone’s continued support.

Thank you for all your messages of support. We share your upset and concern.

We are still engaged in the Public Inquiry and are working on the crucial closing submissions. We will provide a full update on the Public Inquiry this Wednesday so keep watching. 

Many thanks as always

The Wildcat haven Team and Finlay

Hi All

Huge day tomorrow as we put forward our case in the Public Inquiry, as to why the most important population of Scottish wildcats in existence, shouldn’t be jeopardised by a windfarm that could easily be sited elsewhere. Please click the link below to register and listen in. It will be great to have your support and presence there. It has been a long road to get to this point but now finally, the wildcat will have its voice heard:

https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinkprotect.cudasvc.com%2Furl%3Fa%3Dhttps%253a%252f%252fdpea.public-i.tv%252fcore%252fportal%252fwebcast_interactive%252f649473%26c%3DE%2C1%2Cpx7LPJPLj_V5lLlyfVWm2WLxs2pOR9om_nu2fm2-M6C7PDxGM24x84VCRt57FhPOCx5Peg5LqyshF7LQe1-e031axyEOM9mhxLkONJPQaFmvdtRofUzm1E4ZxBI%2C%26typo%3D1&data=04%7C01%7C%7C631f787912d24fb2fae608d9fb966229%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637817445583940699%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=HccqMgA8jNdYn%2FvgFiSAeJrsKSg52cYvxTWMK6pFq%2F4%3D&reserved=0

It’s two weeks today since Finlay was taken. Despite asking numerous times, the Police still refuse to tell us where he is or how he is being cared for. We are so worried for his future and are absolutely heartbroken. We feel the Police have potentially been misled and have acted on a malicious report.  We can assure you that we have acted within the law at all times. Our team is of course very familiar with the legislation surrounding wildcats and so we would never breach that legislation. We work closely with environmental consultants and environmental lawyers at all times. As you have all seen, we have cared for Finlay with complete transparency and have very publicly provided great detail about our plans for release and we have provided pictures and videos every step of the way. Finlay’s rehabilitation has taken place in plain sight of nearly a million people on this petition alone. As you have seen and commented on, we have carried out best practice and have absolutely nothing to hide. Indeed we have offered to come into the police station and give information to the police on at least 3 occasions.  

For the avoidance of any doubt, here are the actual pieces of legislation below. It is there in black and white. No offence is committed under either piece of legislation, if the animal is rehabilitated and then released. Indeed, if our rehabilitation of Finlay was illegal, then no wildlife hospital in the UK could effectively operate without breaking the law. Please read the below legislation for yourselves. As a note, being orphaned, dependent on being bottle fed and then needing subsequent rehabilitation, would fall very squarely within the terms of disablement.  

'Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (Reg 44): 

 44.—(1) A person (“P”) is not guilty of the offence under regulation 43(1)(a) of deliberately capturing a wild animal of a European protected species, or an offence under regulation 43(3)(a) or (b), if P shows that the act in question— 

 (a)was in relation to an animal that had been disabled otherwise than by P’s unlawful act; and 

 (b)was done solely for one or both of the purposes of— 

 (i)tending it and releasing it when no longer disabled; or 

 (ii)releasing it after it had been tended. 

 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) (Section 10 (3))

Notwithstanding anything in section 9, a person shall not be guilty of an offence by reason of— 

(a)the taking of any such animal if he shows that the animal had been disabled otherwise than by his unlawful act and was taken solely for the purpose of tending it and releasing it when no longer disabled; 

(b)the killing of any such animal if he shows that the animal had been so seriously disabled otherwise than by his unlawful act that there was no reasonable chance of its recovering; or 

(c)any act made unlawful by that section if he shows that the act was the incidental result of a lawful operation and could not reasonably have been avoided.' 

We are in no doubt at all that we have acted within the law at all times and have absolutely no case to answer. The next question to ask is who made the malicious report and why? As you all know, Finlay was taken on the very day that our witness statements for the Public Inquiry over the Vattenfall windfarm were due. It seems an extraordinary coincidence.

We have tried hard not to inflame the situation for fear it might backfire on Finlay, but now we need maximum public exposure and support, to hopefully make the police see sense and return him safely. So many of you have asked us to set up a specific ‘Free Finlay’ petition. Well here it is. Please sign and share it as widely as possible and let us see if we can get it trending. We will post up some calls to action later in the week.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/129/891/930/free-finlay/
 

Also, The Public Inquiry into Vattenfall's proposed windfarm started today and we will be giving our evidence this Wednesday. You will be able to dial in to watch and we will post the link out tomorrow.

As you can see we are fighting hard on lots of fronts at the moment so thanks for your patience and for your continued support.

Thanks as always

The Wildcat Haven Team and Finlay

 

We still have no news about the whereabouts of Finlay, how he is being treated or whose care he is under. Just to be completely honest with you, we are totally devastated. We have also spoken to John and Angela who originally rescued him and they are heartbroken and in disbelief. The stress and worry is almost unbearable for us all. We saved his life and watched him grow as you all have, from a tiny, helpless kitten to a magnificent, healthy and strong animal. He was just a few weeks from release.

When we described the events of the seizure, many of you reacted with disbelief (as did we), particularly as no warrant or paperwork were produced by the police. Many of you quite rightly had deep concerns that is was people impersonating police officers. However it was the police and the incident reference has been published in the media. It was provided by North Wales Police. Here it is: 21000883036

We have sought the best legal help we can and the legal team is working on getting him back. Every additional day Finlay spends away from his rehabilitation enclosure, the bleaker his future looks and that is the most painful aspect of all this. It’s Finlay’s life and future at stake here and he shouldn’t be used a as pawn in a game to get at our project and to try to distract and damage our preparations for this crucial, upcoming Public Inquiry into the Clashindarroch windfarm.

Finlay’s life started terribly, he lost his mother and probably saw his siblings die in the den around him, before he made the brave decision to leave his den to try and find his mother.  He has fought so hard and has never given up. That is what we all must do now, we must show the same spirit he has shown and keep fighting for him.

If you want to support our efforts to get Finlay back and save his wild relatives then you can do so at:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

We are so sad and in pain, but out of that pain comes a steely determination to see this through to the end. As soon as we hear anything, we will update you.

Thanks as always

The Wildcat Haven team and Finlay

It has now been over 3 days now and we still have not been told where Finlay is. We are becoming increasingly worried about his welfare. It is causing us so much pain and we dread to think what he is going through.  Every minute he spends away from his purpose built and naturalistic enclosure, damages his rehabilitation. We have received so many kind message of support from you all, and we know that you share our distress.

So many of you have emailed about the importance of getting media coverage about this and you are absolutely right. What is amazing is that without having to do a press release, Finlay is now getting major National media attention. Huge thanks to Danyal Hussain at the Daily mail for this really useful and informative piece. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10519255/Police-seize-Scottish-wildcat-kitten-group-says-rehabilitating-animal.html

Please go and read it. There are many other news articles now circulating but the above article has a major reach. We are working flat out with a highly experienced legal team and we will update you all extremely soon. Keep spreading the word and we just wanted to highlight one thing. As you all know, we are going up against the establishment in this windfarm Inquiry and in other elements of our campaign such as stopping the removal of wildcats from the wild for captivity. Therefore, just be aware of any attempts to troll our project. People may even be being paid to do it. As we get closer to the Inquiry, there will be an increasing attempt to try and damage our project. It's very predictable. We take it as a clear sign that the organisations and people we are challenging are seriously rattled. That is because we have you all behind us.

Many thanks and keep up the fight to get back Finlay back home.

The Wildcat Haven Team and Finlay

Dear All

It has now been over 48 hours since Finlay was taken by the police. Our legal representative had a 25 minute discussion yesterday, with the Sergeant who led the team that seized Finlay. Despite numerous requests, no information was provided as to where Finlay is, who is looking after him and what type of care he is getting. Our position is clear and was made again to the police yesterday.  Every minute Finlay spends around new people and in a less naturalistic enclosure, seriously damages and disrupts his rehabilitation. He could be in a small barren cage in a vet's room with artificial lights and heating, being tested, for all we know.

We are extremely worried for him and will hopefully have another conversation with the police ASAP to find out more today. Just for clarity, as we have publicly stated dozens of times, Finlay came to us as an orphan and needed intensive care and rehabilitation. As we have always stated, the intention has been to release him at the earliest responsible opportunity and that would be this spring. Absolutely no license whatsoever is needed to rehabilitate and release him. As you know our team has previous experience rehabilitating wildcat kittens and no license was needed or acquired previously. A license would only be required if we intended to hold him permanently in captivity. The mere thought of that is abhorrent to us. 

We also want to clarify Finlay’s location. He was found in the Scottish Highlands in late October 2020. He came under our care at very short notice and needed expert, intensive care. Our most experienced team member is based in Wales and so that is where he was taken after being fully vet checked. As you all saw, he thrived. A lot of deliberation took place over where to build the rehabilitation enclosure. The issue with Scotland is that there is a right to roam and so any enclosure we built, could have been visited by any hiker, photographer, dog walker and it would have been impossible to ensure Finlay's security. We do however have access to secure and private land in North Wales, away from public view. This was ideal for Finlay’s needs and so therefore he was being rehabilitated in North Wales. It also explains why it is the North Wales police that currently hold him. We hope that clears up any confusion about location. Of course it goes without saying that Finlay’s release site would be in Scotland.

We remain deeply upset, baffled and concerned for Finlay. It is also hard not to be suspicious about the timing of this, just 2 weeks before the Public Inquiry into Vattenfall's proposals to build a windfarm in the Clashindarroch Forest; a proposal which threatens one of the last remaining wild populations of Scottish wildcat. It is public knowledge that we have had Finlay for a year, so why ask the Police to swoop now?

We are heartbroken but have another busy day trying to ensure his safe return. As you know we can’t do this without your support so if you feel you can help us, you can do so at:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Thanks again for all your support, it means the world to us. 

The Wildcat Haven Team and Finlay

Dear All

It is with disbelief and tears in our eyes that we are writing this.

Yesterday at 8am a team of 4 policemen and a vet came to the private property where Finlay is being looked after and seized him. No warning was given, they just turned up with bodycams turned on and said they were there to take Finlay.

They showed no paperwork before taking him, provided no letter of authority and gave no justifiable reason. We pleaded with them, explained that he is in the process of rehabilitation and that he was due to be released to the wild in the next 6 to 8 weeks. We also explained that capturing him, exposing him to multiple people and disrupting him at such a crucial time, would be catastrophic to his rehabilitation. They did not listen, they did not care. We asked to go with them to the enclosure but we were threatened with arrest if we did so. We had no choice but to  helplessly watch on from a distance. He was captured, taken into the back of a van and taken away.

We asked for details of where he would be taken, what would happen to him, but the police said that they didn’t need to tell us and so Finlay’s whereabouts are still currently unknown.

It was a bewildering and traumatic experience for us let alone Finlay. We tried to find out where he was last night but again the police refused to tell us.

None of this makes sense. As you all know we have made no secret of the rehabilitation process that Finlay is going through and our decision to wait until spring for release. So the question is why was he taken now? We have had him for over a year.

However, yesterday our team were due to lodge their witness statements for the public Inquiry against Vattenfall. Also, last week we made public the news of a Vattenfall whistleblower. Is it a coincidence that on the very morning that our witness statements are due for lodging, that Finlay is seized?

The police said that they were recently made aware of Finlay so the question is by whom? Have Vattenfall or their associates had a hand in Finlay's seizure?  We have to be careful what we say at this stage but you will be able to reach your own conclusions on the timing. Coincidence or malice?

We are truly devastated and still in a state of shock. We saved his life and reared him from less than 4 weeks old. Along with all of you, we have watched him grow and develop into a magnificent animal and now he is gone. We know how much he means to you all and what an inspiration he has been.

Well now we have to fight for Finlay and fight harder than we ever have before, to get him back and into the wild. We are instructing another very strong legal team to urgently deal with this issue. We need the very best for Finlay. We simply haven’t got time to set up another crowdfunder so we are planning to keep using the existing campaign page and allocate funds appropriately.

If like us, you feel that Finlay deserves his chance in the wild then please support us on this page. 

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Thanks as always, we need your help now more than ever. We will let you know as soon as we hear anything. 

The Wildcat Haven Team and Finlay

We are getting close to the hearing date of the 2nd March, when the Public Inquiry into the Clashindarroch windfarm proposal will take place. We are currently finalising the witness statements of our wildcat specialist and ecological advisor, which are due to be submitted on the 14th February.

As we have demonstrated throughout this process, Vattenfall (the applicant, and a company owned solely by the Swedish Government), have consistently tried to withhold wildcat data that is clearly damaging to their application. They only released the wildcat data from their Environmental Impact Assessment after a two year wait and even then, they released a heavily redacted version which still conceals crucial information. This is of course just a blatant and transparent attempt to avoid due scrutiny.

However we are now in receipt of some disturbing evidence that provides a much deeper insight into just how far Vattenfall will go, to conceal the evidence of wildcats at their application sites. Information from a whistle-blower has emerged which claims that Vattenfall staff, told ecological consultants who were surveying the Clashindarroch 1 site for wildcats, to withhold evidence of potential wildcats, and not make this information public. This is of course appalling and our legal team is now looking at the best way to present this information to the Inquiry.

If proven, such suppression of key information that would bias an Environmental Impact Assessment in their favour, is potentially an attempt at corporate fraud. We have no reason at all to doubt the evidence we have been shown and it is simply indicative of the way Vattenfall have behaved throughout this process.

As you can see, if we weren’t pushing through with this campaign, then the betrayal of the Scottish wildcat would simply go unnoticed. Your support has shone a very bright light into dark areas and revealed information that was clearly meant to be concealed by Vattenfall.

The Inquiry will bring all this into the open. We are up against a multi billion pound organisation but we are determined to see this through to the end and save this population of magnificent wildcats.

If you can help us then please support our legal crowdfunder at:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Many thanks as always

The Wildcat Haven Team.

Our Ecological and Wildcat specialists are currently preparing their witness statements for the upcoming Public Inquiry hearing. To really show you the importance of what is at stake, we want to show you a recent video taken by our Director, Dr Paul O’Donoghue. It is from a visit to the site of the first windfarm built in the Clashindarroch forest, in 2015. This was before we began our work here.  

As you will see, this was not a case of just popping windmills into forest gaps. It was not done sensitively, it was simply the destruction of an enormous area of forest which would have devastated wildcat territories. It was utterly depressing to see a moonscape, an ecological desert, that even after 6 years looks like a huge scar on the landscape and is clearly not a useable space for wildlife. It is also serviced by a small army of people who all have to drive through the forest and they even have permanent bases where they can stay overnight. Basically what was once thick forest and prime wildcat habitat , is now an industrialised landscape. You can see the video here:  

https://www.wildcathaven.com/news 

Like all of you who support us, we are passionate about reducing climate change and committed to sustainable living. We have stated numerous times before and as our Director states again here, we are pro renewable energy. However this cannot be at all costs, it cannot be reckless or without thought. It certainly cannot be at the expense of the future survival of an entire species, an iconic Scottish animal that epitomises the wild. It has to be the right development at the right place.

 There are literally hundreds of bare hills in Scotland that provide far more suitable sites for a windfarm than the Clashindarroch forest. The risks are just too great. As you will see from the video, the stakes are high, as safeguarding the safety of the most important wildcat population in existence, depends on the success of our campaign. If you want to support our legal challenge please visit: 

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/ 

Many thanks as always  

The Wildcat Haven Team 

As most of you will know, we rescued a Scottish Wildcat kitten and have been rehabilitating him for release back into the wild. He is called Finlay. We hope you enjoy this very recent video of him (see link below). He has really grown up well and bulked up over the winter, which is exactly what we wanted to happen. He looks magnificent. The bigger and stronger he is, the better his chances of establishing a territory. You can see that thick, ringed, blunt tail swishing underneath him and when he jumps off the log, just look at his muscle definition. He is developing perfectly as we start preparations for his release into the wild, in a few months time. 

He only sees one person now and is fed mainly from outside the enclosure. The only time anyone enters his enclosure is for cleaning a couple of times a week. The enclosure he has is very large and naturalistic, and allows small mammals and birds to pass through it. Finlay is now a proficient hunter and there are regularly remains of natural prey items near his den site. We need to wait for the spring and then it will be the right time for Finlay to be released into the wild. None of us know what the future holds for him, but we have done all we can to give the best chance of survival. As we all know, Finlay is a real fighter and so we are sure he will do amazingly well. 

Enjoy the video at the link below and more updates will follow soon. 

https://www.wildcathaven.com/news

Thanks as always

The Wildcat Haven Team

HI All

A very belated Happy New Year to you all.

We hope you all had a peaceful break. We had a chance to recharge our batteries, but for the last 2 weeks have been working flat out to submit a whole range of documents in preparation for the upcoming windfarm Inquiry. An overview of the process and next steps is as follows:

19th January (yesterday)- Submission of Core documents such as Inquiry statements, habitat pictures, maps, expert reports, the scientific literature we will rely on etc.

14th February- Submission of our witness statements

2nd March- Inquiry hearing

As you can see proceedings are coming to a head. When we are able to, we will share with you some of the documents we have submitted so that you are fully up to speed. Here is an overview of some of the key points that have emerged through the exchange of documentation.

1.       Our Specialist Ecologist has identified a total of 62 points of deficiency or failure in the Environmental Impact Assessment carried out by Vattenfall. In particular, their wildcat sections are absolutely awful, non-compliant and inadequate.

2.       There is a high degree of agreement between our database and the government’s database, confirming, that the Clashindarroch does indeed contain the highest density of Wildcats in Scotland and Vattenfall even concede that the forest is a site of National importance for wildcats.

3.       Vattenfall concede that their planned windfarm expansion will directly impact 5 wildcat territories which constitutes disturbing and displacing up to 20% of the world population.

As we go through this process and the paperwork comes together, it is becoming clearer and clearer how inappropriate and just plain wrong this application is. It also points to an arrogance from Vattenfall, a company owned entirely by the Swedish government, that they think it is acceptable to destroy an integral part of Scotland’s natural and cultural heritage. And just for clarity we are fully supportive of renewable energy schemes if is the right development for the right sight. This proposal clearly isn’t that.

However we fight on and will see this through all the way to the end, and are prepared to go all the way to Judicial Review if we need to. If you want to find out more about our work and support campaign then you can do so at this crowdfunder link.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Yours help as always is massively appreciated and vital to our continuing legal challenge.

Finally, we wanted to let you all know that Finlay is doing extremely well and we will provide a full update with our release plans for him, as well as some beautiful recent video. We will plan to put the update out on Monday so keep watching.

Many thanks as always

The Wildcat Haven team.

We wanted to wish a very Merry Christmas to you and your families and also to say an enormous THANK YOU. This is for each and every one of you who has supported this crowdfunder. It is truly humbling to know that you are all behind us in this fight and it is a fight we must win. The future existence of the Scottish wildcat is at stake but we are confident that with your help we can save it. 

Our whole team is exhausted but happy with the progress we have made. We are going to rest for few days as we hope you all do too and we will be in touch soon, with the plans and milestones for the year ahead. It is going to be crucial one.

Once again we really appreciate your support, you have been a real inspiration and motivation to us all.

Have a wonderful and peaceful Christmas

The Wildcat Haven Team

We are working flat out to meet a deadline today, to deliver the latest batch of written submissions to the Inquiry. It’s going well, our team of legal, ecological and wildcat specialists are all working together. To really show you the importance of what is at stake, we want to show you a video taken by our Director, Dr Paul O’Donoghue. It is from a recent visit to the site of the first windfarm built in the Clashindarroch forest, in 2015. This was before we began our work here. 

As you will see, this was not a case of just popping windmills into forest gaps. It was not done sensitively, it was simply the destruction of an enormous area of forest which would have devastated wildcat territories. It was utterly depressing to see a moonscape, an ecological desert, that even after 6 years looks like a huge scar on the landscape and is clearly not a useable space for wildlife. It is also serviced by a small army of people who all have to drive through the forest and they even have permanent bases where they can stay overnight. Basically what was once thick forest and prime wildcat habitat, is now an industrialised landscape. You can see the video here:

https://www.wildcathaven.com/news

Like all of you who support us, we are passionate about reducing climate change and committed to sustainable living. We have stated numerous times before and as our Director states again here, we are pro renewable energy. However this cannot be at all costs, it cannot be reckless or without thought. It certainly cannot be at the expense of the future survival of an entire species, an iconic Scottish animal that epitomises the wild. It has to be the right development at the right place.  There are literally hundreds of bare hills in Scotland that provide far more suitable sites for a windfarm than the Clashindarroch forest. The risks are just too great. As you will see by the video, the stakes are high, as safeguarding the safety of the most important wildcat population in existence, depends on the success of our campaign. We cannot fail and so if you want to support our legal challenge please visit:

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Many thanks as always 

The Wildcat Haven Team

As promised, here is an update about the Pre inquiry meeting we had last week. We are on track and have met all deadlines to date. This includes the lodging of written submissions, which detail the objections we have, the legislative frameworks and case law we will rely on, as well as the concerns we have about the Environmental Impact assessment (EIA) carried out by Vattenfall, regarding wildcats. Their efforts on the EIA in this area are truly woeful. The meeting has also now given us the opportunity to submit further technical points and to expand on our areas of concern. We welcome this opportunity and this is the focus for our legal and ecological advisors this week.

You can see the Written submissions document at the link below. Just click on the link and then click the ‘open document’ tab and you will see it. This is a 40 page document and is now on the record and will be considered by the Inquiry. It is a comprehensive body of work and it’s important to us, to show you exactly what the funds you have donated to us are used for. This is very serious stuff.

https://www.dpea.scotland.gov.uk/Document.aspx?id=811505

As we move through this process, it is becoming clearer and clearer that Vattenfall and their representatives will use every dirty trick in the book, to try and push through this development. Whilst they have provided us with some data ( after a 2 year delay ), the dataset is heavily redacted and for example, does not show any accurate location data. This of course prevents full scrutiny which is exactly what Vattenfall are trying to do. They are trying to make us sign a Non Disclosure Agreement before they release the full data set. This may at first seem reasonable, until you discover that they are only willing to release the data, with the condition that our main Wildcat Biologist can’t have access to it. You couldn’t make it up. They really are shameless and they even tried to influence the Inquiry that the delay in releasing data was due to us not signing the NDA. Rest assured, we put the record straight that the NDA proposed by Vattenfall in its current form is beyond ridiculous and just another attempt to delay, withhold data and avoid scrutiny by a Wildcat expert.

It is clear that Vattenfall, a company owned entirely by the Swedish Government are treating the Scottish wildcat with utter contempt and disrespect. However, with ever dirty trick, with every attempt to manipulate the Inquiry, our resolve grows and our determination increases. It has to, as this is a fight to save the Scottish wildcat from extinction in the wild.

We will see this through to the bitter end and continue to work flatout to save the Clashindarroch and it’s precious wildcats. You are so grateful for your help so far. If you want to continue supporting our work you can do so at: 

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

We will publish our further technical submissions in due course.

Many thanks as always

The Wildcat Haven Team

We have a very big week ahead as we move through the process for the Public Inquiry about the Clashindarroch windfarm. This Wednesday afternoon our team will attend a second procedural meeting for the public inquiry, in preparation for the February sessions.

The purpose of tomorrow’s meeting is to check parties are on track to present their evidence to the Reporter in Feb sessions. You will be aware that last week we lodged written submission providing detailed overview and explanation of legal and ecological concerns. The headline points we made were as follows:

1. The Clashindarroch forest contains the highest density of wildcats anywhere in Scotland.

2. The proposed windfarm development will be devastating for this population and directly threaten 20% of the remaining world population.

3. The Clashindarroch forest is of National and International importance and should be protected.

At every stage of this process, Vattenfall, a company owned solely by the Swedish Government, have attempted to deflect away from the wildcat concerns. They have withheld crucial data in order to minimise scrutiny, and they have delayed the release of data to try and limit our preparations. It is abundantly clear that they don’t want an inquiry session about wildcats. 

However, despite all their dirty tactics, we are completely on track and fully prepared for what lies ahead. We will ensure that yours and our grave concerns are heard, and that crucially, the wildcats get a voice.

As we always do we will keep you fully updated. If you want to continue supporting our legal campaign to save the Clashindarroch Wildcats, then you can do so at;

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Many thanks as always, we can’t win this without you, 

This is a very important time for us all. Today we will be lodging our written submissions for the public Inquiry about the windfarm, due to take place in late February 2022. This submission will form the basis of our objections.

As we have informed you, it was crucial to our preparations that we received access to the Confidential annexes held by Vattenfall, the company who are solely owned by the Swedish government, who are putting forward the windfarm proposal. We had tried to get the information for 18 months and they only released it to us after they were forced to and they did so at the 11th hour. This was clearly because they knew how damaging the data held within these annexes would be and it was a delaying tactic, to hinder our preparations for this case. Well we have worked tirelessly since receiving these annexes and have put together what we believe to be an extremely compelling case for the wildcat, that is founded in empirical data, scientific references, and case law.  

We are extremely lucky to work with exceptional ecologists who are highly experienced in this field and they have been scrutinising and analysing the data contained in the annexes. The findings are unambiguous and remarkable. As Wildcat Haven has stated all along, the Clashindarroch is the most important site for wildcats in Scotland. Well, the data has now confirmed this beyond any doubt and shows that the Clashindarroch contains the highest density of wildcats anywhere in Scotland. This makes the whole forest of National and indeed International importance. Secondly, we have been able to assess the impact that the proposed windfarm would have on this windfarm. The analysis demonstrates that 5 or 6 wildcat territories will be directly impacted by this windfarm. To put this in context, with estimates as low as 30 wildcats left in the wild, that amounts to up to 20% of the world population being threatened by this development. This doesn't include the other potential impacts on more wildcat territories through noise, disturbance and the displacement of animals. It is clearly not exaggerating to say that if this windfarm goes ahead, it could facilitate the extinction of the Scottish wildcat in the wild. 

The key point to make here is that Vattenfall, who claim to be a 'green' organisation, submitted their application with the full knowledge of the Scottish wildcat population they would be damaging. Indeed, they tried to conceal this information. The Forestry Commission Scotland, now called (FLS), who own the Clashindarroch and are actually partners on the government's so called 'Saving Wildcats' project, also had full access to this data and were happy to allow wildcat territories on their land be clear felled. The government organisation called 'Saving wildcats' (don't worry the irony of this name hasn't escaped us), have received millions of pounds in taxpayers' money and their remit is to apparently save the wildcats. Unbelievably, they actually collected the data held in the annexes, yet they stand by and not only refuse to object to this development, but they have been used as a cover for it, up until now. 

All this tells a sorry story of betrayal of the wildcat, by the very people who are paid by taxpayers to save it. When the time is right and this inquiry is over, rest assured that those individuals who have hidden behind government desks, telling lies, withholding information and standing by whilst the wildcat is put in danger, will all be held to account. This is vital to ensure that this situation never happens again.

For now of course, our sole focus remains on stopping this windfarm and the data speaks for itself. Surely the Scottish government cannot allow the development of a windfarm on a site that would devastate up to 20% of its most endangered and iconic animal- the magnificent Scottish wildcat.

We are in a strong position thanks only to your support, we simply could not afford to mount this legal challenge without you. If you feel you can contribute to our efforts, then please visit.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Please share the link above as widely as you can

Sincere thanks as always.

The Wildcat Haven Team and Finlay

First of all many thanks to all of our supporters so far, and a very warm welcome to those of you who are new to this case.  We are entering a crucial time and wanted to give you an overview of where we are up to and the next steps.

For context, the Scottish Wildcat is the rarest cat in the world with only 35 remaining. This makes it the rarest cat on earth and 70 times rarer than the giant panda. Wildcat Haven is the only group focussing solely on its survival in the wild. 

Very best wishes as always

The Wildcat Haven Team

Hi Everyone

First of all thank you so much for all your support and already enabling us to reach two thirds of out 100k target. As you have hopefully seen in our email updates, these funds are currently being used to hold Vattenfall to account in the upcoming Public Inquiry where we will hopefully be able to stop the planned windfarm.

As you will all be aware, COP26 is starting very soon and we hope to take this opportunity to highlight this case in the media.  We want to announce that our target has been hit and they we are able to challenge this development all the way to a Judicial Review if necessary. We are up against a massive company, Vattenfall, which is owned by the Swedish Government. They have extremely deep pockets and have employed the services of a large law firm and a senior QC to push this development through. 

With your continued support we can win this fight. We simply have to as the future of the magnificent Scottish Wildcat depends on it. We cannot allow their most significant forest home to be deforested and industrialised for a windfarm, that could easily be sited elsewhere (we are of course pro renewables as long as they are the right development in the right place). 

If you can donate to our ongoing legal challenge then we would be very grateful. Also please do share this link as widely as possible and let's give the Scottish wildcat the loudest voice we can.

https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wildcats/

Many thanks

The Wildcat Haven Team,