The wildcat is making a comeback, particularly in the southeast of the province of Noord-Brabant. The animal was spotted in the nature reserve of Strabrechtse Heide, near Eindhoven. The conservation organization ARK Rewilding, in collaboration with Natuurmonumenten, Staatsbosbeheer, and the Dutch Mammal Society, is working to improve a habitat in Brabant for the wildcat. They are also creating connecting pathways from Belgium and Zuid-Limburg. According to ARK, the presence of a wildcat, a protected predator, provides an ecological boost to other species of plants and animals.
Wolves have made an impressive comeback in Europe in recent decades, but their presence has ignited a fierce debate and threatens to widen rural vs urban divides.