Rare Wildcat Captured and Photographed in Retezat National Park

A beautiful specimen of wildcat was captured on camera in Retezat National Park during a wildlife monitoring initiative conducted by the Retezat National Park Administration (APNR) staff. The wildcat, a solitary animal rarely seen by humans in its natural habitat, is protected by international conventions, with an estimated 10,000 individuals in Romania. Operating mostly at night, it preys on small mammals and birds.

The photo of the wild feline was shared on APNR’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, emphasizing that Retezat National Park is home to 55 mammal species, representing 23% of Europe’s terrestrial mammal species.

“For cat lovers, we want to share a wonderful specimen of a wildcat (Felis Silvestris) from Retezat National Park, captured by our colleague Lucia Ursu – Education and Communities APNR, during a monitoring action last week. Thanks to its diverse habitats, natural or minimally altered by human intervention, Retezat National Park shelters 55 mammal species, over 23% of Europe’s terrestrial mammals. The park provides conditions for the survival of the most important large carnivores in Europe: lynx (Lynx lynx), bear (Ursus arctos), and wolf (Canis lupus),” stated APNR.

Retezat National Park is one of the 22 national and natural parks managed by the National Forest Administration – Romsilva, located in the southwest of the country, in Hunedoara County.