Saving Wildcats

Name

Saving Wildcats

Legal name

Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

Website

https://savingwildcats.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521), Veterinary Services (54194)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA), Veterinary Charity Clinics & Medical Aid (BPAGAIAD)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation services
• Species recovery programs
• Conservation breeding services
• Habitat restoration programs
• Wildlife translocation projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingussie

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual donations and sponsorship: Monthly sponsorships from £5/month for individual wildcats, one-off donations, and community fundraising through JustGiving platform.
2. Corporate and trust grants: Funding from European Union LIFE programme, Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, National Trust for Scotland, People's Trust for Endangered Species, European Nature Trust, and other charitable foundations.
3. Film screening licensing: Screening licence for 'Clinging by a Claw' documentary starts from £50, with funds directly supporting wildcat conservation.
4. Legacy gifts in Wills: Gifts in Wills to Royal Zoological Society of Scotland supporting long-term wildcat conservation work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Saving Wildcats breeds Scottish wildcats at the UK's first dedicated conservation breeding for release centre at RZSS Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore, then releases them into the Cairngorms National Park as part of a planned conservation translocation. The project also operates GPS-collar-based post-release monitoring, a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return programme for feral cats to reduce hybridisation, public education and engagement, and donation/sponsorship programmes to fund the recovery work.

Product overview

Saving Wildcats is a European partnership conservation project dedicated to Scottish wildcat recovery, led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The core offering consists of a conservation breeding for release centre at Highland Wildlife Park that breeds and prepares wildcats for release into Cairngorms National Park. Supporting this are GPS-radio collar tracking and accelerometer monitoring systems to track released animals, a Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programme for feral cats, educational programmes including the 'Clinging by a Claw' documentary and school resources, wildcat sponsorship opportunities, and guidance documentation for stakeholder coexistence. The project combines on-the-ground conservation (breeding, releasing, monitoring), community engagement (education, reporting tools), and fundraising (sponsorships, donations) into an integrated species recovery programme.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildcat Sponsorship Monthly or one-time sponsorship programme for individual wildcats (Margaret, Skye, Oscar) starting at £5/month, providing supporters with sponsorship packs, named certificates, tote bags, prints, and updates on wildcat families. Targeted at individual conservation supporters.
• Wildcat Conservation Donations Multiple donation options including one-off gifts, monthly giving, JustGiving fundraising challenges, Amazon wishlist donations, and legacy gifts in Wills. Targeted at individuals wanting to support Scottish wildcat conservation.
• Clinging by a Claw Documentary Film 60-minute documentary narrated by Sam Heughan, documenting the journey of Scottish wildcats from the brink of extinction to their return to Cairngorms National Park. Available for community screenings with a screening licence from £50.
• Wildcat Education Programme Curriculum-linked online and in-person learning sessions about wildcat restoration for primary schools, delivered via RZSS ZOOdle digital platform and at Highland Wildlife Park.

Quantifiable outcome

• First wild-born kittens recorded on trail cameras in May 2024, marking significant milestone for species recovery
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRZSS is the lead partner and wildlife conservation charity leading the Saving Wildcats project. They manage Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, and have led the UK captive breeding programme for wildcats since 2015. RZSS provides the breeding centre, veterinary facilities, and overall project leadership.
• NatureScotcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScotland's nature agency providing regulatory oversight, funding through the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund, and the translocation licence approval. Previously led the Scottish Wildcat Action partnership.
• Cairngorms ConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting releases within the Cairngorms Connect landscape in Cairngorms National Park. Provides the release site and ongoing support for wildcat monitoring and habitat management.
• Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottish Government agency managing national forests and land, providing access to forested areas within the release site and supporting habitat management for wildcats.
• Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPark authority ensuring the unique natural environment of the Cairngorms is protected while supporting sustainable development and conservation.
• Nordens ArksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwedish non-profit foundation dedicated to endangered species conservation. Provides expertise from multiple recovery projects and training support for the Saving Wildcats team.
• Junta de AndalucíasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government of Andalusia, Spain. Led the world's most successful Iberian lynx recovery project, providing proven expertise in large carnivore conservation translocation techniques.
• Cats ProtectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading cat welfare charity partnering on Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programmes to reduce feral cat populations and prevent hybridisation with wildcats.
• Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with land managers on fair coexistence between wildcats and people, particularly regarding game bird management.
• UK Conservation Breeding Programme memberscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 30 zoos, wildlife parks and private collections across the UK participating in the captive breeding programme, including Edinburgh Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park, Battersea Park Children's Zoo, Five Sisters Zoo, and others.
• Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerOxford University research unit led by Dr Kerry Kilshaw, providing scientific expertise in wildcat survey methodology, camera trapping protocols, and population assessment.
• Agroecosystems LtdsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural consultancy working with the farming sector to build collaborations supporting wildcat recovery and fair coexistence.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Scottish Wildlife Trust: Scotland's leading wildlife conservation charity, managing over 100 reserves across Scotland. Comparable Scottish-focused conservation mission, donor base and volunteer-driven model operating in overlapping geography.
• Nordens Ark: Swedish non-profit foundation dedicated to endangered species conservation, operating a zoological park and breeding programmes for rare breeds. Direct Saving Wildcats partner providing expertise and training support; comparable conservation breeding and release model in a different geography.
• Cats Protection: UK's leading cat welfare charity and direct Saving Wildcats partner on the Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return programme to mitigate feral cat hybridisation. Closely aligned with Saving Wildcats on cat welfare and conservation in overlapping UK geography.
• Junta de Andalucía (Iberian Lynx Recovery Programme): Led the world's most successful large carnivore conservation translocation, taking the Iberian lynx from near extinction to a recovered population. The programme provided direct expertise to Saving Wildcats and is the most functionally comparable species recovery project in scope and methodology.

Others

• National Trust for Scotland: Scotland's largest conservation charity, managing historic properties and significant landholdings including in the wildcat release area. Financial partner of Saving Wildcats and adjacent land management role, with overlapping conservation mission and Scottish geography.
• WildCRU (Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford): Oxford University research unit providing scientific expertise on wildcat survey methodology, camera trapping and population assessment to Saving Wildcats. Adjacent enabling role rather than a competitor, but materially comparable in species and research focus.

Broad incumbents

• WWF-UK: UK arm of the global World Wildlife Fund, focused on international conservation including threatened species recovery. Operates at much larger scale across multiple species and regions but with comparable fundraising and species recovery mission.
• RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds): The UK's largest nature conservation charity with over a million members, focused primarily on birds but with broader habitat and species work. Comparable UK conservation charity model, scale and member-driven revenue streams, though operating across a wider portfolio.
• The Wildlife Trusts: UK federation of 46 independent wildlife trusts managing over 2,300 nature reserves. Operates at broader national scale across multiple species and habitats but with comparable conservation mission, volunteer engagement and donor model.
• Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS): Parent organisation of Saving Wildcats, operating Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park. Manages a much broader portfolio of conservation, education and visitor services; Saving Wildcats is an initiative within RZSS rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saveourwildcats

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saving Wildcats