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Domestic Cats Keep Making Hybrids. That's A Problem, And Yes - That Includes Some Pets [View all]
https://www.iflscience.com/domestic-cats-keeping-making-hybrids-thats-a-problem-and-yes-that-includes-some-pets-80764Why is this a problem? Wildcats in Scotland are under threat from “hybrid swarms” as domestic cats started interbreeding with them 60 years ago. This kind of genetic swamping is a relatively new problem, as a 2023 study revealed that domestic cats have been living alongside each other for 2,000 years, but they only started getting it on in the last half-century or so.
A combination of persecution and habitat loss has pushed European wildcats to the brink in the UK. They were scampering around England and Wales until the late 19th century, but now you’ll only find them in the Scottish Highlands and even there, the population is fragmented.
A combination of persecution and habitat loss has pushed European wildcats to the brink in the UK. They were scampering around England and Wales until the late 19th century, but now you’ll only find them in the Scottish Highlands and even there, the population is fragmented.
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