African golden cats hunt on the ground, but are also able to climb. Initially the cat was thought to be related to the Asiatic golden cat, but additional research has determined the cat is more closely related to the caracal. The female gestation period is approximately 75 days. Some characteristics of the African wild dog set it apart from other canines. Cheetahs are famous for their speed and agility but are also one of Africa’s most endangered big cats. The African golden cat (Caracal aurata) is a wild cat endemic to the rainforests of West and Central Africa. African golden cats have fur that varies in color from golden-brown and red-brown to grey. These are family units that may include up to three males, a dozen or so females, and their young. Females reach their sexual maturity at around 11 months of age. As a result of these efforts, we have been able to begin the first comprehensive studies on some very little-known species including two long-term studies on the African golden cat, as well as help local conservationists launch new projects to reduce threats to endangered species such as the fishing cat and the Sunda clouded leopard. The cat has a black-tipped tail and ears. Poison Arrow Frogs or Poison Dart Frogs is the common names of the ‘Dendrobatidae’ family of small, diurnal frogs. [3] Previously, it was placed in the genus Profelis. A king cheetah’s top speed is the same as other African cheetah and you can read the full story on how fast a cheetah can run here. With a combination of long, powerful legs, deep chest, and slim build allows the serval to reach a sustained speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). A sighthound that hunts wolves, rabbits, birds, and more, must be fast. It is threatened due to deforestation and bushmeat hunting and listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Its eye colour ranges from pale blue to brown. The fur around their eyes, cheeks, chin, throat and underside is … Many of these cats are also spotted. Servals have excellent smell, sight and hear… BEHAVIOR The solitary African Golden Cat feeds mainly on rodents and birds, and is active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular) and at night (nocturnal). While they are fast, they don’t have a ton of endurance. [4], Overall, the African golden cat resembles the caracal, but has shorter untufted ears, a longer tail, and a shorter, more rounded face. The serval has a varied diet, eating rodents, birds, reptiles, frogs, fish, and large insects. Kenya is home to less than 2000 lions. The cats hunt and feed on rodents, blue duikers, birds, monkeys, hogs and antelope. The pattern of the fur is variable. Get BigCatsWildCats updates and wild cat news from around the world. [21], In Uganda's Kibale National Park, an African golden cat was recorded in an old growth forest patch in 2008. 10. These two species, together with the serval (Leptailurus serval), form the Caracal lineage, one of the eight lineages of Felidae. Lions are the only cats that live in groups, which are called prides. It is also threatened by bushmeat hunting, particularly in the Congo Basin. Deforestation is destroying tropical rainforests and African Golden Cat habitat. Nowell, K. and Jackson, P. (1996). Two color morphs, a red and a grey phase, were once thought to indicate separate species, rather than colour variations of the same species. No effort to import new animals into North America is supported. The cat is found from Senegal in the west to Kenya in the east, and ranges as far north as the Central African Republic and as far south as northern Angola. As true desert specialists, they occupy areas that receive less than 20 mm of rainfall a year. The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. The African golden cat is twice as large as domestic cats. The African golden cat can be found in tropical forests, from Senegal to Kenya, and the Central African Republic to Angola. [2] Its body size ranges from 61 to 101 cm (24 to 40 in) with a 16 to 46 cm (6.3 to 18.1 in) long tail. Hunting and deforestation have caused an estimated 44% loss of the cat’s habitat. [13][10][14][15][2], Phylogenetic analysis of cat samples showed that the African golden cat is closely related with the caracal (Caracal caracal). The cats are reclusive, small wild cats that can be found in tropical rainforests. [19] The African Golden Cat has a stocky build with a short tail and the coat varies from reddish to grey. HISTORY African Wildcats diverged from the other Wildcat subspecies about 131,000 years ago. [9] He named it Felis celidogaster. This transformation happens usually after about 4 months. They inhabit a variety of sandy and stony desert habitats with some cover, and arid shrub-covered step… When it swims, the Fishing cat is able to use its flattened, short tail like a rudder, to help control its direction. “A small cat that can run up to 50 miles per hour” Caracals can be found in many places including Africa, the Middle East and India. African golden cats live in Africa in regions near the equator. Because of this close relationship, the African golden cat has been placed into the genus Caracal. [7] Felis rutilus proposed by George Robert Waterhouse in 1842 was a reddish cat skin from Sierra Leone. This affectionate bond between cat and dog on display at zoos across the country is a way to promote the life-saving role dogs play for cheetahs in the wild. JAVASCRIPT IS DISABLED. At birth, a Florida Panther has spots and blue eyes. A serval is a cat native to the African grasslands typically found south of the Sahara Desert. Wild Cats: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. Thanks for subscribing! In Afrikaans (South Africa) vaalboskat means 'grey bush cat'. Please check your email for further instructions. Some are spotted, with the spots ranging from faded tan to black in colour. IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland. Learn how your comment data is processed. The underbelly of the cat is white. They mainly feed on tree hyrax, rodents, but also hunt birds, small monkeys, duikers, young of giant forest hog, and small antelope. The serval has the longest legs of any cat relative to its body size. 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