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Kingdom: Animalia > Phylum: Chordata > Class: Mammalia > Order: Carnivora > Family: Felidae > Genus: Felis > Species: Felis silvestris > See subspecies
Scientific name Source
Felis silvestris cretensis Haltenorth, 1953 Corbet G B. (1978)
Felis silvestris grampia Miller, 1907
Felis silvestris lybica Forster, 1780 Fauna Europaea (2005)
Felis silvestris silvestris Schreber, 1775 Fauna Europaea (2005)
Felis silvestris tartessia Miller, 1907 Fauna Europaea (2005)

Wildcat - Felis silvestris Schreber, 1777

Images from the web

Quick facts

Threat status Europe Least Concern (IUCN)
Protected by EU Habitats Directive and 4 other international agreements
Most preferred habitats
  • heathland and shrub
  • woodland and forest
May also occur in
  • agricultural mosaics
  • cropland
  • grassland
  • sparsely vegetated land
Natura 2000 species code 1363

Distribution

The distribution map is currently disabled. A new map solution will soon become available. In the meantime, please consult other species distribution map providers listed in the Other resources panel below.

Threat and conservation status

IUCN Red List status of threatened species

The IUCN Red List threat status assesses the risk of extinction.

IUCN Red List Category
Not Evaluated
Near Threatened
Regionally Extinct
Not Applicable
Vulnerable
Extinct in the Wild
Data Deficient
Endangered
Extinct
Least Concern
Critically Endangered

EU conservation status

Conservation status assesses every six years and for each biogeographical region the condition of habitats and species compared to the favourable status as described in the Habitats Directive. The map shows the 2013-2018 assessments as reported by EU Member State. Assessments are further detailed in the summary document available behind the link below.

Natura 2000 sites

Not available

Legal status

Legal text Annex Conditions More information
Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora - consolidated version 01/01/2007 (EU Habitats Directive) http://ec.europa.eu/environm...rective/index_en.htm
Convention on the conservation of European wildlife and natural habitats (Bern Convention) http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cul.../bern/default_en.asp
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Synonym for this species is listed in CITES. See there for more details. http://www.cites.org/eng
Commission regulation (EU) No 1320/2014, of 1 December 2014, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 on the protection of species of wild fauna and flora by regulating trade therein (EU regulation of trade of fauna and flora) http://ec.europa.eu/environm...s/legislation_en.htm

Common names and synonyms

Common Name Language Reference
Chat sauvage French Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Evrópski villiköttur Icelandic Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Gato montés Spanish Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Gato-bravo Portuguese Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Gato-cabeçanas Portuguese Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Gatto selvatico Italian Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Macja e eger Albanian Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Metsäkissa Finnish Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Metskass Estonian Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Vadmacska Hungarian Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Vildkat Danish Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Vildkatt Swedish Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Villkatt Norwegian Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Vilpišys Lithuanian Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Wëll Kaz Luxemburgish Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Wildcat English Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Wilde kat Dutch Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Wildkatze German Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
Yaban kedisi Turkish Mitchell-Jones, A.J. & al.
zbik Polish Polish NRC
Synonym Author
Catus ferox Martoreli, 1896
Felis sylvestris Pocock, 1907
Felis (Catus) silvestris Schreber, 1777

Other resources

CoL (accepted name) Catalogue of Life
EoL Encyclopedia of Life
Fauna Europaea Fauna Europaea
GBIF Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Habitats Directive Art. 17-2006 summary
ITIS (Valid name) Interagency Taxonomic Information System
NCBI National Center for Biotechnology Information
PESI (Accepted) Pan-European Species directories Infrastructure
Species+ Species+ by UNEP-WCMC
Wikipedia Wikipedia

External data

No external data sets available for this species
European Environment Agency (EEA)
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1050 Copenhagen K
Denmark
Phone: +45 3336 7100