A CONSERVATION group has unveiled plans to reintroduce the Scottish wildcat into the Borders.

The move by Wildcat Haven comes as proposals to release six lynx into Kielder are currently being considered by the UK Government.

It is widely accepted that Scottish wildcat numbers have been dwindling across their native Highlands for many years.

And Wildcat Haven has been spearheading fieldwork over the last decade to end the decline.

This week the group announced its latest plans - to release the iconic felines along the Scotland-England border.

Dr Paul O'Donoghue, chief scientific advisor with Wildcat Haven, told us: "The British ecology needs a wildcat in it and wildcats fit in perfectly, helping to control species like rabbit and actively avoiding conflict with humans.

“The Highlands can't afford to lose any Scottish wildcats so we'll be looking to healthy, wild-living European populations, and using them to re-establish a British wildcat population on both sides of the Scottish-English border.”

The proposals initially focus on the Galloway area with the reintroduced cats being encouraged to spread into the Scottish Borders as well as Cumbria and Northumberland.

If the plans are successful it would be the first time wildcats have been present in England for over 300 years.

Dr O'Donoghue added: “We've seen that wildcats can really thrive in man-made forests, and an important part of our research is understanding how we can create a sustainable population in this environment.

"The Galloway-Northumberland border region is often overlooked but this is one of the most well connected and diverse habitats in the UK, and certainly rivals the Highlands for biodiversity potential.

"The wildcat is the UK's most endangered animal, and it's probably the most charismatic and iconic species that has managed to cling on here against all odds; they're incredible survivors and I have no doubt they will thrive in the forests of the Southern Uplands and Northern England."

The plan already has considerable landowner support coming from Gresham House Forestry, one of the largest owners of forestry in the UK and the Galloway region.

Jason Sinden, Director of Forestry, said: "Gresham House manages almost 140,000 acres of forestry assets in the border region.

"These forests are managed to produce a sustainable supply of timber and this helps to create almost ideal habitats for a range of native woodland specialists, such a red squirrels, badgers and roe deer.

"The forests are now being re-colonised by pine-martens and we hope that the habitat can also be suitable for the wildcat, which is such an important component of forest eco-systems.

"We will be working with Wildcat Haven to identify appropriate sites for release and monitoring.”