DAMSON, a female Scottish wild cat at Tropiquaria Zoo, is to do her bit to save her subspecies from extinction.

A tom is being brought to Washford Cross from Kingussie, in the North of Scotland, in the hope that Damson will produce at least one litter of kittens.

There have been suggestions that there could be fewer than 100 pure-bred cats alive in the wild - many of those currently at large in Scotland are in fact hybrids.

The demise of the pure-bred is primarily through the efforts of gamekeepers in the past, and more recently hybridisation with domestic cats.

For the last few years, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has been conducting research in conjunction with Scottish National Heritage, the Government department concerned with the natural world.

A survey has been conducted along with requests for pictures and blood samples from all the animals held in captivity – and one of the subjects was Damson.

On October 12, David Barclay, the stud book keeper, based at the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park, at Kingussie, published a series of recommendations for pairings and animal movements to maximise the breeding potential of the animals in captivity.

This is being done in conjunction with further conservation efforts in the wild, and with a view to possible re-introductions in the future.

Damson arrived at Tropiquaria several years ago from a collection in the New Forest.