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Rare Wildcats Reintroduced to Scottish Highlands in Historic Conservation Effort
17 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Hamza Yassin assisted in releasing three wildcats back into their natural habitat in the Scottish Highlands
- Estelle Morgan, a team member, confirmed Hamza was the first non-project staff to release a wildcat
- One of the released wildcats escaped its enclosure, much to Hamza's delight
On November 16, 2025, the popular BBC show Countryfile returned to screens with presenter Hamza Yassin embarking on a special mission in the Scottish Highlands. Hamza joined a team leading an ambitious conservation scheme aimed at reintroducing one of Britain's rarest and most elusive predators, the wildcat, back into the wild.
Late at night, Hamza accompanied team member Estelle Morgan to release three wildcats into their natural habitat, a "once in a lifetime opportunity" as Hamza described it. Estelle revealed that Hamza was the first person outside the project staff to have the privilege of releasing a wildcat, an honor that left him amazed.
