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| Devon Wildlife Trust seeks 'wildcat officer' to help reintroduce species in England | Devon Wildlife Trust seeks 'wildcat officer' to help reintroduce species in England |
| (25 days later) | |
| Wildcats are considered the UK's rarest animal | Wildcats are considered the UK's rarest animal |
| A wildlife charity is looking for an expert to judge whether wildcats can be reintroduced to Devon for the first time in hundreds of years. | A wildlife charity is looking for an expert to judge whether wildcats can be reintroduced to Devon for the first time in hundreds of years. |
| The Devon Wildlife Trust said it was recruiting a "wildcat project officer, external" to study different locations in the county for the return of the once-native predator. | The Devon Wildlife Trust said it was recruiting a "wildcat project officer, external" to study different locations in the county for the return of the once-native predator. |
| Wildcats were driven to extinction in England and Wales by the 18th Century. | Wildcats were driven to extinction in England and Wales by the 18th Century. |
| The trust said the Devon landscape was one of the mammal's "last strongholds". | The trust said the Devon landscape was one of the mammal's "last strongholds". |
| European wildcats are stockier than the domestic cat with a fluffier tail and distinct body markings. | European wildcats are stockier than the domestic cat with a fluffier tail and distinct body markings. |
| Wildcats, now the UK's rarest animal, once played an important ecological role in the countryside, the trust said. | Wildcats, now the UK's rarest animal, once played an important ecological role in the countryside, the trust said. |
| A small population exists in the north of Scotland, but it has been called "functionally extinct" due to interbreeding with domestic cats. | A small population exists in the north of Scotland, but it has been called "functionally extinct" due to interbreeding with domestic cats. |
| Peter Burgess, the charity's director of nature recovery, said appointing an expert was the first step in a wider plan to reintroduce the species. | Peter Burgess, the charity's director of nature recovery, said appointing an expert was the first step in a wider plan to reintroduce the species. |
| The wildcat project officer will carry out scientific assessments, a social feasibility study and conduct public consultation. | The wildcat project officer will carry out scientific assessments, a social feasibility study and conduct public consultation. |
| "There's a lot for us to do before this becomes a reality," Mr Burgess said. | "There's a lot for us to do before this becomes a reality," Mr Burgess said. |
| "Much of this will involve working with local communities to see if reintroduction is feasible. | "Much of this will involve working with local communities to see if reintroduction is feasible. |
| "As yet, we have no scheduled date for any animals to be released." | "As yet, we have no scheduled date for any animals to be released." |
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