Exotic Africa attracts many of us. But the African continent is not only unusual nature for us, but also wild animals that are of extraordinary interest. Our article will focus on wild African cats.
Animals of Africa
Africa is home to many unusual animals. Elephants, hippos and giraffes are familiar to us from childhood. Most often, it is these inhabitants of the Black Continent that we can see in zoos. But it is worth remembering the African animals of the cat family. They are beautiful, graceful and… very dangerous.
Black-footed cat description
Wild African cats are not cute cartoon fluffies. They are able to terrify even people, let alone small living creatures. One of the wild inhabitants of Africa is the African black-footed cat. A cute, pretty animal lives in the deserts and outwardly resembles a pet, although, unlike the latter, it has by no means a peaceful disposition and tries very hard not to catch the eye of a person. Yes, the appearance of the creature is very deceptive. The African black-footed cat is not a harmless creature, but a very dangerous and brave predator. Aborigines are afraidbeast and have long been legends about him. It is worth noting that the cat is the smallest representative of wild cats. It is also called the ant tiger. Such a nickname speaks for itself.
The range of miniature predators
Wild African cats live in the desert regions of South Africa. The animals have chosen a number of countries: Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Scientists distinguish two varieties of the black-footed cat. The more numerous of them has a light color and lives in Namibia. The second group is much smaller and lives in Botswana.
In a number of countries, rare wild cats are protected, hunting for them is prohibited. So, the preservation of the population is taken care of in Botswana and South Africa. In these countries, work is underway to combat poachers. In addition, animals often die from dog attacks and under the wheels of cars. Human activity also negatively affects the population size.
View description
The weight of a black-footed cat ranges from 1.5 kg. And the average body length is 10-20 cm. The wild African cat has a stocky strong body, a round large head and expressive eyes that twinkle in the dark with a bright blue light. Animals see well at night. In addition, their hearing and sense of smell are highly developed.
The appearance of an ant tiger is very deceptive. at first glance, it looks like a domestic cat, but in fact it is a fierce African predator. The color of the animal's coat can vary from light yellow to red-brown. The color of the cat is complemented by a patternblack spots that sometimes merge into stripes. Such camouflage coloring well disguises the predator, making it invisible to enemies and prey. Thick fur on the paw pads reliably protects cats from the hot sand of the desert.
The character of the black-footed cat and his way of life
Wild cats do not build shelters for themselves, they settle in ready-made termite mounds or rabbit holes. Predators willingly settle in the burrows of other animals, such as porcupines, having previously driven out the former owners. In such secluded places, cats sit out during the daytime. And at dusk they go hunting. In a day, predators in search of prey can walk up to ten kilometers. Cats tolerate drought and heat very well. They can go without food or water for long periods.
The beast patiently tracks down its prey, moving quietly and silently. The attack of a predator is swift and sudden. Cats live and hunt only on the ground, as short legs prevent them from climbing trees.
The hunting grounds of one animal reach 15 square meters. km. But females control three times less land area. Each cat marks the boundaries of its territory and jealously guards it from strangers.
What do cats eat
The diet of the formidable predator is varied. It contains birds, rodents, reptiles, insects and amphibians. A brave animal is not at all afraid of the size of the enemy. It can easily attack prey that is twice as large as itself. Most often, the black-footed cat comes out of their fights as the winner.
Steppe cat
The African continent is inhabited by numerous predators, among which there are many representatives of the cat family. One of them is the steppe cat. The wild beauty looks like a pet, but has a larger size. Such animals live not only in Africa, but also in Asia and the Mediterranean islands. Very often, predators are called African wild cats.
They live in deserts overgrown with saxaul, on sandy and clay plains with lakes. Sometimes animals are found in the foothills near water bodies. Very often, predators can be seen near human habitation. They prefer to settle in places where there is free access to food and food.
What does a steppe predator look like
The length of the body of the steppe cat is 63-70 centimeters, and the tail is 23-33 centimeters. On average, animals weigh from 3 to 8 kilograms. Females are larger and heavier than males.
Predators are armed with powerful retractable claws. A long tail and large ears are a feature of the animal. Strong jaws of cats are equipped with large incisors.
In winter, the steppe cat has a sandy or grayish-yellow color. There are black spots on the sides of the animal, and black rings on the tail. The coat around the throat and belly is dyed white.
Lifestyle of steppe beauties
African cats lead a solitary terrestrial lifestyle. They hunt at night. Cats can climb trees well, but still prefer to spend time on the ground.
On the hunt predatorscome out at dusk. In cold periods, they can be seen during the day. Animals rest in abandoned burrows, rock crevices, thick grass and ravines. Interestingly, steppe cats meow in the same way as pets.
Diet
At nightfall, cats go hunting. Animals are interested in rodents as prey. Predators are excellent tree climbers, so they get to bird nests, which gives them the opportunity to feast on eggs. During hot periods they feed on insects and even lizards.
In the process of hunting, the animal sneaks up on the victim and quickly attacks. Predators are able to watch prey for hours. Steppe cats swim well, so sometimes muskrats and amphibians are present in their diet. In very rare cases, they manage to catch a bustard or a hare.
Steppe cats are very clean. They go hunting only after they wash their coats. In this way, they rid their hair of odors that can scare prey away.
The main enemies of cats are ordinary dogs.
Wild serval
Another representative of the cat family is the wild African serval. These animals are genetically close to the wild golden cat. But outwardly and in color they are more reminiscent of a cheetah. Servals live in the mountainous regions of Kenya. Black animals are sometimes found in nature.
Predators prefer to live in the savannas south of the Sahara desert. But they can also be found in mountainous regions. But the desert servals are tryingavoid as they need sources of water. But at the same time, animals don't like rainforests.
Servals are hunted by larger predators, but their population is large, and therefore they are not classified as rare or endangered species.
Serval lifestyle
Animals are nocturnal predators. Most of the prey of servals are small animals (rodents). The diet also includes hyraxes, lizards, hares, insects, snakes and frogs. During the hunt, servals freeze and stand motionless, listening to the rustles. Having heard the prey, the cats quickly attack it. In the process of chasing rodents, animals are able to dig holes, as well as climb trees. Servals make jumps from a place up to 3.6 meters in length. No less nimble cats jump in height. They shoot down birds in flight, jumping up to three meters. Animals have long legs, which allows them to reach speeds of up to 80 km / h. Thanks to this, servals can hunt antelopes, deer and gazelles. Experts say that these wild cats are excellent hunters, because in 50% of cases they return with prey.
Servals live alone. Representatives of the stronger sex control the territory up to 30 km. sq. The females are not as active. Their territory does not exceed 20 km. sq.
The appearance of the animal
Adult servals reach a length of 90-135 cm, and a height of 65 cm. The main distinguishing feature of the animal is a small head and a rather short tail against a large body. Outwardly, the predator vaguely resembles a lynx orcaracal. But his coloring is the same as that of a cheetah. The muzzle, chest and belly of predators are white, and the large ears are black on the outside and covered with white and yellow spots. It was the beautiful coloring of the wool that became the main reason for the domestication of these animals. An interesting fact is that the color of servals living in different regions of Africa is different.
Cheetahs
Cheetahs are another member of the cat family. Animals are considered the fastest on the planet, as they develop a speed of about 112 kilometers per hour.
Cheetahs are incredibly graceful because they have a slender and elongated body. Outwardly, they look fragile, but do not be mistaken. The animals are very strong and hardy, thanks to well-developed muscles. Their legs are long and thin. The head of cheetahs is small, with rounded ears. The body length of animals reaches 1.5 meters. In height, predators sometimes grow up to a meter. The weight of cats is 40-70 kg.
Unlike other felines, cheetahs are diurnal predators. They are active during daylight hours. They go hunting early in the morning, before the onset of heat, or in the evening. Predators track prey by sight, not by smell, so they rest at night.
Fishing cats
In nature, there are fishing cats that also belong to the cat family. Very often they are mistakenly classified as African wild cats. In fact, fishing cats are Asian animals that live in southeast Asia, India, Indochina, Ceylon and Sumatra.
Animals live in tropical and subtropical regions. Usually they settle near lakes and reservoirs where you can find food. The civet cat outwardly resembles its African counterparts. However, not only outwardly - he is also a predator.
