Last of the Scottish Wildcats
Wildcats have lived in Britain for more than two million years, sharing their territories with the mammoth, the cave bear and the cave lion long before humans had made their way through the forests of Europe. Some 9000 years ago, as the last ice age came to an end and sea levels rose, isolating the British Isles from mainland Europe, the wildcat population here became isolated and evolved into a unique species: felis sylvestris grampia, the Scottish wildcat.
Given that the Scottish wildcat is Britain’s last wild feline and infamous amongst experts for being the wildest of wild animals, I was a bit surprised to discover that Last of the Scottish Wildcats is only the second film to document this animal.
The film starts with some stunning views of the Scottish Highlands, not only capturing very effectively the stark beauty of this environment but also – with the help of a narration from David Goodall – giving a real sense of the harshness of the conditions under which this species has evolved.
The Scottish wildcat is a very impressive animal and the excellently narrated and compelling photography really does capture this well. It is well adapted to survive the harshest of Scottish winters and, pound for pound, is one of the world’s most dangerous predators and we do, as an audience, get a real sense of this.
But not everything is rosy in the Scottish wildcat’s world.
After centuries of persecution, deforestation and competition from introduced species, the Scottish wildcat is a seriously endangered species. It is estimated that there are less than 400 Scottish wildcats left in the world and extinction could be as little as ten years away.
And this brings us to the real heart of Last of the Scottish Wildcats, which is an exploration of the challenges faced by the species and a look at what people are trying to do to ensure its continued viability.
This investigation is achieved largely through a series of interviews with the people directly involved in the conservation of the Scottish wildcat. Some people, of course, interview better than others but what does come across very consistently is the real passion that these people have for their cause and a very real understanding not only of the difficulties they are facing but also of how they can reasonably overcome them.
Last of the Scottish Wildcats is a very complete documentary in that it covers not only the animal itself, but also the human reaction to it, and a thorough analysis of its conservation status and what can be – and is being – done to preserve this wildest of wild animals.
By pulling together some stunning photography, an atmospheric score and some unequivocal discussions with some of the people directly involved in the ongoing survival of this species, director Steve Piper has made a genuinely fascinating, and inspiring, documentary.
Profits from this film are to be shared with the Scottish Wildcat Association, a newly formed charity working to conserve the Scottish Wildcat.
Sunday 17 Jun 2007 | Paul Pritchard | Documentary
