News Naidheachdan

[Iain MacAonghais – Preseantair] Tha pròiseact sònraichte a’ dol an-dràsta ann an Àird nam Murchan airson feuchainn ris a' chat-fhiadhaich Albannach a ghleidheadh. Tha àireamhan a' chait-fhiadhaich air a bhith a' tuiteam, gu h-àraidh le cait taighe a' teicheadh bhon dachaigh agus a' briodachadh le na cait-fhiadhaich. Tha an aithris seo aig Seonaidh MacCoinnich.

[Seonaidh MacCoinnich – Neach-aithris] A-rèir na buidhne Wildcat Haven, 's dòcha nach eil ach 40 cat-fiadhaich fìor air fhàgail san dùthaich. Thòisichear plana an-uiridh airson dìon a chur air na cait ann an Àird nam Murchan agus comraich thoirt dhaibh san sgìre. An t-seachdain seo chuir iad ionad lighiche-sprèidh air dòigh ann an Talla Mhìogharraidh.

[An Dtr Pòl O’ Donoghue] This is one of the first neutering clinics of it’s kind in Scotland. We’ve brought a clinic to Wildcat country. We’ve converted a village church hall into a vet clinic and what we’re doing is we’re inviting the local community to come and bring their pet cats to get them neutered and micro-chipped free of charge. By doing that we’re actually, not only are we helping their pet cats but we’re stopping the future source of feral cats.

[Seonaidh MacCoinnich – Neach-aithris] Agus dè cho cumanta ‘s a tha cait-fhiadhaich an seo?

[Mairead NicRath] An rannsachadh mu dheireadh bhathar a’ dèanamh, bha e follaiseach gun robh na cait-fhiadhaich a’ fàs gu math gann ach gu robh fhathast mun cuairt na sgìre seo, gu robh feadhainn ann. So sin pàirt dhen adhbhar a thàinig iad an seo airson am pròiseact a chur air adhart an seo.

[Seonaidh MacCoinnich – Neach-aithris] Agus bha cothrom ann cuideachd do chlann-sgoile Ath Tharracail a bhith an sàs ann.

[Nighean 1] Carson a tha cait-fhiadhaich diofraichte ri mar pet cat, peataichean.

[Balach 1] Chunnaic mi fear anns a’ ghàrradh agam.

[Nighean 2] Agus bha sùilean mòra gorm air.

[Aonghas MacAoidh] Thàinig iad a-steach agus bhruidhinn iad ris a’ chloinn agus dh’ inns iad beagan mu dheidhinn nan cat-fiadhaich agus an staid anns a bheil iad agus gu bheil na h-àireamhan aca dol sìos ach cuideachd gu bheil sinn a’ fuireach ann an àite caran sònraichte agus tha cait-fiadhaich mun cuairt so chaidh iad a-mach latha agus bha iad ag obair anns a’ choille agus coimhead ri na traps a bha iad a’ cur sìos agus ciamar a bha na traps ag obair.

[Seonaidh MacChoinnich – Neach-aithris] Agus thathas an dòchas gun cùm a’ chlann orra leis a’ phròiseact sna bliadhnaichean ri thighinn.

[Mairead NicRath] Uill tha mi’n dòchas gum bi chionn ‘s e deagh chothrom rudeigin mar seo fhaighinn airson pàirt den churraicealam airson Sàr-Mhaitheis. Tha e toirt a h-uile càil a-staigh a bharrachd air a’ chultar againn agus faodaidh a’ chlann, gu h-àraidh an fheadhainn tha staigh san taobh Ghàidhlig, tha tòrr eachdraidh agus tha tòrr ceangalan ann ri sgeulachdan agus rudan so tha diofar rudan as urrainn dhuinn a dhèanamh fhathast bharrachd air dìreach coimhead air na cait-fhiadhaich a th’ann an-diugh.

[Seonaidh MacChoinnich – Neach-aithris] Tha am pròiseact seo eadar 20 agus 30 bliadhna a dh’ fhaid le dòchas ann aig an deireadh gum bi mìle mìle ceàrnagach de dh’fhearann ann an Àird nam Murchan gun cait feral ann idir. Seonaidh MacCoinnich, BBC An Là, Ath Tharracail.

[Iain Macinnes – Presenter] There’a a special project taking place just now in Ardnamurchan to try and protect the Scottish wildcat. The number of wildcats have been declining, especially as domestic cats have been cross-breeding with the wildcats. Seonaidh MacKenzie has this report.

[Seonaidh MacKenzie - Reporter] According to the group Wildcat Haven there could be as few as 40 pure wildcats left in the country. A plan began last year to protect the cats in Ardnamurchan and give them shelter in the area. This week a vet clinic was set up in Mingarry Hall.

[Dr Paul O’ Donoghue] This is one of the first neutering clinics of it’s kind in Scotland. We’ve brought a clinic to wildcat Country. We’ve converted a village church hall into a vet clinic and what we’re doing is we’re inviting the local community to come and bring their pet cats to get them neutered and micro-chipped free of charge. By doing that we’re actually, not only are we helping their pet cats but we’re stopping the future source of feral cats.

[Seonaidh MacKenzie - Reporter] And how common are these wildcats?

[Margaret MacRae] From the last research that was conducted it was clear that the number of wildcats was in decline but that there was still some around this area. So that’s part of the reason they came here to implement this project.

[Seonaidh MacKenzie - Reporter] And there was an opportunity for Acharacle school pupils to be involved in it too.

[Girl 1] How Wildcats are different to like, pet cats.

[Boy 1] I saw one in my garden.

[Girl 2] And it had big blue eyes.

[Angus MacKay] They came in and spoke to the children, told them a little about the wildcats and the state that they’re in and that their numbers are declining around here. They took them out to explore the forest, take a look at the traps and showed them how they traps worked.

[Seonaidh MacKenzie - Reporter] And they hope the children will continue with the project in the years to come.

[Mairead MacRae] Well I hope they do as this is a good opportunity to do something as part of the Curriculum for Excellence. It takes in more than just our culture and the children involved in Gaelic can learn lots about the history, there are a lot of ties to folklore so there are different things we can still do as well as looking at the wildcats that are here today.

[Seonaidh MacKenzie - Reporter] This project will be ongoing for 20 to 30 years and they hope by the end to have 1000 square miles feral cat free. Seonaidh MacKenzie, BBC An Là, Acharacle.