The Scottish Wildcat - on the verge of extinction

[Calgacus]

I agree Jock, it certainly pays to tread lightly and keep one's mouth shut when in the hills. I dislike being in a large group and generally walk alone or with one or two companions. There are many who visit the hills and treat them as some sort of recreational playground- a view which has its place, for sure, but it's not my favoured approach. One of the many dividends of a 'tread lightly' approach is the opportunity to see nature close up, and occasionally get to see some of the rarer denizens of the hills. Nothing beats sitting ten feet from a stoat, watching it watching me, or twenty yards from a family of otters as they play near the shore line, or standing almost within touching distance of a red deer stag in the gloaming, or standing a few feet from a dozen or so ptarmigan.

Now that I have a dog it's a little harder, though not as much as I thought it was going to be. I certainly can't get as close to mountain hares as I used to, she has a, *cough*, fondness for them.

Still not seen a bloomin' wildcat yet though...