Yesterday, our study was featured on the O3 show of ERT3. We would like to sincerely thank ERT3's...

Wildcats under surveillance in Koronia – Volvi

Although it is difficult to distinguish them from domestic ones, they are not ordinary cats, they are feral cats and they are the only wild feline with a confirmed presence in Greece! For the first time in our country, feral cats will be studied using telemetry as already, in five animals, special radio surveillance collars have been passed in a study funded by the NSRF.

The European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is the only confirmed wild feline within Greece. It is a relatively small animal, weighing 3-6 kg, which is widely distributed in Europe, from Sicily to Scotland, and Portugal to the Caucasus. Unfortunately, many local wildcat populations shrink or disappear, especially in Northern Europe. Humans are the main threat for the species, causing fragmentation of its niches, mortality due to automobile traffic, and poisonous baiting, as well as hybridisation with domestic cats. Due to this, our project aims to contribute to understanding the ecology and conservation of wildcats.

Η ευρωπαϊκή αγριόγατα (Felis silvestris silvestris) είναι ένα αιλουροειδές ενδημικό στην ηπειρωτική Ευρώπη, καθώς και στην Σκωτία, μεγάλο μέρος της Τουρκία, αλλά και στην περιοχή του Καυκάσου. Την βρίσκουμε συχνά σε δάση, αλλά έχει επίσης παρατηρηθεί σε λιβαδικές εκτάσεις και υδροβιότοπους. Εκτός της ευρωπαϊκής αγριόγατας, άλλα υποείδη απαντώνται κυρίως σε υποερημικές περιοχές της νοτιοδυτικής Ασία (Felis silvestris ornate), καθώς και σε ποικιλίες περιοχών στην Αφρική (Felis silvestris lybica), εκτός τροπικών δασών.