Wildcat Platform

The Wildcat Platform is a co-operation between different Austrian organisations committed to the protection and the promotion of wildcats in Austria. Its duty is to coordinate any Austrian activities observed by the National Park Thayatal and the Coordination and Wildcat Reporting Office of the NATURSCHUTZBUND Austria (Nature Protection Society of Austria).
It started with a research project of the National Park Thayatal in which the occurrence of wildcats could be established several times. Based on this, the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Austria mandated, with the support of Austrian Federal Forests 2007/08, a study of the potential habitats of wildcats and initiated the Wildcat Species Conservation Project.

It started with a research project of the National Park Thayatal in which the occurrence of wildcats could be established several times. Based on this, the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Austria mandated, with the support of Austrian Federal Forests 2007/08, a study of the potential habitats of wildcats and initiated the Wildcat Species Conservation Project.

In 2008, the NATURSCHUTZBUND organized a first international wildcat conference in Wels. After many workshops, the Wildcat Platform could be created at the beginning of 2009. That year, the Species Conservation Project was also integrated into the campaign "vielfaltleben” (diversity of life) and the Wildcat Action Plan was developed in cooperation with the Platform and completed in February 2010.

The NATURSCHUTZBUND Austria is the oldest Nature Protection Society in Austria. Since its creation in 1913, it is involved in the protection and the conservation of Austrian nature. The NATURSCHUTZBUND Austria has about 80.000 members in the whole of Austria, who are organized in nine national committees. The headquarters of the national party are in Salzburg, nationwide topics and actions are coordinated from there. The Austria-wide organ is the journal/brochure/publication Nature and Land.

The Austrian Federal Forests are a limited company belonging to the Republic of Austria. It manages for the Republic of Austria approximately 860.000 hectares of natural areas, of which about 523.000 hectares are forests - approximately one tenth of the total territory. Nature conservation clauses are in force for more than half of these areas.
Austrian Federal Forests are a limited company belonging to the Republic of Austria. It manages for the Republic of Austria approximately 860.000 hectares of natural areas, of which about 523.000 hectares are forests - approximately one tenth of the total territory. Nature conservation clauses are in force for more than half of these areas.

The Zoo of Wels is the oldest zoo in Upper Austria and is also regarded as an important local recreation area. The entrance is free and about 100 different species can be seen, most of them primates and tropical birds. The zoo takes part in many international breeding programmes and contributes greatly to the protection of local wild animals through the keeping and breeding of the Ural Owl and the wildcat.

The 1.330 ha wide National Park Thayatal lies in the border area between Lower Austria and the Czech Republic and is joined to the Czech Národní Park Podyjí. The Thayatal with its steep deciduous forests is one of the most beautiful breakthrough valleys in Austria. Since 2007, the wildcat has been many times genetically identified - a comeback on silent paws.

The Alpine Zoo Innsbruck is the highest zoo in Europe (750m), with a surface of approx. 4.1 ha. In this "theme zoo” of the alpine animal kingdom resides a unique collection of 150 animal species with 2.000 animals from the whole alpine area.

The nine National Hunting Associations are centralized in the Central Office of the Austrian National Hunting Association to jointly carry out supra-regional activities.

The Natural History Museum Vienna ranks among the greatest natural museums worldwide and is the most important one on this topic in Austria. It encompasses vast collections of natural specimens from the second half of the 18th century to the present.

The campaign of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, vielfaltleben contributes to the preservation of biodiversity in Austria.

Raiffeisen is the strongest banking group in Austria. The wildcat gets particular support because it is a typical local wild species which enriches our wild fauna.