Acta Theriologica 47 (2): 211-219, 2002. PL ISSN 0001-7051 Experience obtained from box trapping and handling wildcats in Slovenia Hubert POTOCNIK, Franc KLJUN, Jozko RACNIK, Tomaz SKRBINSEK, Miha ADAMIC and Ivan KOS Potocnik H., Kljun F., Racnik J., Skrbinsek T., Adamic M. and Kos I. 2002. Experience obtained from box trapping and handling wildcats in Slovenia. Acta Theriologica 47: 211-219. Wildcats Felis silvestris Schreber, 1775 were captured for radio collaring as a part of a study of their spatial distribution and social organisation in southern Slovenia between 1999 and 2001. Double-door box traps, with a roof that bears easily break (bear permeable traps), have been used to capture individuals. The distances between traps were between 550 to 2200 m. They were set out on logging roads and narrow trails in the forest. Nine wildcats, one lynx Lynx lynx (Linnaeus, 1758) and one feral cat were caught as target species and 19 badgers Meles meles and one bear cub Ursus arctos as non-targets. The catching success was 1 wildcat/58 trap-days and seems to be in correlation with the lunar cycle. Overall, 7 males and 2 female wildcats were captured which might indicate sex biased trapping selection. Methodological improvements shortened the time of handling procedures. Improved field protocols as well as restraining and immobilisation procedures increased reliability and safety of drug administrations, decreased potential chances for injuries and reduced overall stress of captured animals. Key words: Felis silvestris, capture, handling, methods, Slovenia University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, Vecna pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia, e-mail: hubert.potocnik@uni-lj.si Introduction A marked decrease in the historical range of the wildcat Felis silvestris Schreber, 1775 has taken place over the last centuries in most of Europe (Stahl 1986, Krystufek 1993). A great deforestation pressure, especially in the lowlands, resulted in fragmentation and extensive habitat loss for the species. Many recent European populations of the wildcat are relatively small, isolated and exposed to break-up, reduction and alteration of the habitat (Kitchener 1991, Stahl and Artois 1994). Therefore, in order to maintain these populations at feasible levels and safeguard their adaptive potential, studies on cross-breeding with the domestic cat population, dispersal of young cats, recent distribution development, predator-prey relations and social organisation are necessary to ensure the conservation of the species (Soule 1987, Stahl and Artois 1994, Potocnik and Kos 2000). Most of such studies involve live capturing and radio collaring. Studies of wildlife in natural [211]