Black-footed cat

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H. erectus
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Re: Black footed cat kittens

Post by H. erectus »

A very well done to the Hoedspruit center,.


Heh,.. H.e
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Flutterby
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Re: Black footed cat kittens

Post by Flutterby »

So sweet! My name wasn't on that list! :twisted:


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Lisbeth
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Re: Black footed cat kittens

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:twisted:


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Lisbeth
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Re: Black-footed cat

Post by Lisbeth »

9 Fascinating facts about black-footed cats

Posted on 14 May, 2018 by Africa Geographic Editoria in Animal Encounters, Research, Wildlife and the Decoding Science post series.

Image
© Andreas Jonsson

The black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) might weight as much as a lion’s paw, but it is as vicious as the rest of the wild cat family. Here are 9 facts about the black-footed cat, also known as the small-spotted cat, that you need to know:

1. Even though this member of the genus Felis looks more like an adorable moggie, it is believed to be the world’s deadliest cat. They achieve the highest kill rate, successfully taking their target in 60% of hunts. Other wild cats, such as lions and leopards, rarely succeed more than a 20% of the time.

2. This tiny cat is perhaps the smallest of all wild cat species in Africa. The total length of its body is between 50-72 cm (including the tail). The male weights between 1.7-2.4 kg while the female is only 1-1.6 kg. Kittens weigh a mere 60-90 g when born.

3. Sometimes walking more than 35 km a night to find a prey, the black-footed cat is an opportunistic hunter that takes anything it can possibly overpower. Males can even take down hares or small bustards.

4. The black-footed cat is also solitary, with both sexes marking their territories by urinating.

Image
© Andreas Jonsson

5. These cute cats have pink skin, which is different from other wild cats whose skin is usually dark tan to black.

6. The black-footed cat’s vision is six times better than that of humans, aided by extremely large eyes. It’s also equipped with excellent night vision and impeccable hearing that can pick up even the tiniest sound.

7. Despite its name, only the pads and underparts of the cat’s feet are black. Coat coloration ranges from reddish-fawn (in the southern parts of Africa) to a much paler colour further north. The chin and throat are white, with distinct dark bands on the throat, and a black-tipped tail. This description helps a lot when differentiating it from an African wildcat.

8. The black-footed cat can be found in parts of southern and central southern Africa, favouring arid to semi-arid scrub and short grassland, and open terrain close to rocky outcrops.

9. This great hunter is predominantly nocturnal but occasionally crepuscular – which means it can be seen out of its den just after sunset and before sunrise. During the day they rest in either burrows dug by other species, in hollow termite mounds, or among rock tumbles. That’s where it gets its Afrikaans name from – miershooptier – which means anthill tiger.

Image
© Andreas Jonsson


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Lisbeth
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Re: Black-footed cat

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"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
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Flutterby
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Re: Black-footed cat

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They are so beautiful! ^Q^ ^Q^


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Lisbeth
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Re: Black-footed cat

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:yes:


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Dindingwe
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Re: Black-footed cat

Post by Dindingwe »

They are the cutest cats on earth \O


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Re: Black-footed cat

Post by stefan9 »

Nice pics. Never seen one in the wild.


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Mel
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Re: Black-footed cat

Post by Mel »

I want one 0/0 0/0 0/0


God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
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