Sighting of Wildcat in the Cantabrian mountains

The wildcat (Felis silvestris) is one of the most beautiful, and difficult to see, mammal species on the European continent.

They are usually active in the twilight and at night, on the edges of forests and scrubland, usually far from the gaze of strangers, and often go unnoticed.

In most of Europe, observing and photographing cats is an exceptional occurrence, conditioned to luck. However, in different enclaves of the Cantabrian Mountains in Spain it is possible to observe these beautiful felines successfully, thanks to a basic aspect of their ecology.

In the pastures and meadows of these Cantabrian valleys there is an important population of vole rats (Arvicola terrestris), which in good times can reach densities of up to 35 ind/ha; this fact makes the cats lose their caution and leave the forest to capture these rodents in open fields, often near tracks and roads.

This gives us the opportunity to photograph them at close range, from the windows of 4WD vehicles with the help of beanbags, or to observe them quietly with telescopes at a greater distance.

It is not unusual to see, in one day, five or more cats in different meadows.

Guided wildcat watching excursions in the Riaño Mountains, transport in an all-terrain vehicle and availability of optical equipment included *.

There will be 2 daily excursions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The average duration of each excursion will be around 3-4 hours, with the duration varying according to the daily activity of the animals.