The black-footed cat is one of the smallest cat species. 3. The population size of black-footed cats is estimated at 13,867 animals of which 9,707 are estimated to be mature. The black-footed cat is a specialist of grassland and semi-desert habitats including arid open savannah with sufficient abundance of small rodents and ground-roosting birds and enough cover for hunting. Two subspecies of the Black-footed Cat (Felis nigripes) have been recognized in the past:1. Black-footed Cat 1. Type locality “S South Africa, Eastern Cape Province.” 4. They are one of the smallest cat species on the planet & named for the black soles of their feet. The black-footed cat only hunts at night. The main mating period starts at the end of winter, in July and August (7 of 11 (64%) matings) resulting in litters born in September/October. The male Black-footed Cat weight between 1.5 and 2.4kg, while the female is between 1 and 1.6kg. The birth season is not yet fully studied. The loss of key resources such as prey and den sites due to human impact, is thought to may be the most serious long-term threat to the species. The black-footed cat gets also killed in collisions with vehicles and is subject to predation from snakes, jackals, caracals and owls as well as opportunistically being killed by domestic dogs. Wild cats mate between late July and March, leaving only 4 months where no mating occurs. The population of black-footed cats in the wild has been estimated at less than 14,000. Felis nigripesBurchell, 1824:592. There is an urgent need to create conservation plans for the black-footed cat for which more data on the species is needed. They will go away to try to find somewhere else to go, but they are running out of places to go to, because people are taking up all the space. It also hides larger prey for later. Male cats weigh between 4.2 and 5.4 lbs. Home range sizes vary between regions depending on the available resources and are rather large for a small cat with average size of 8.6–10 and up to 21.5 km² for females and on average 16.1–21.3 and up to 79.9 km² for males. Miscellaneous: Captive black footed cats have lived up to 13 years.Sub-Species: Some sources list a southern subspecies, Felis nigripes thomasi, but today many authorities question the validity of this subspecies Size and Appearance: Perhaps the smallest species of cat, black-footed cats average only 2.4 lb. Some cats have also been found at elevations up to 6,600 ft. For shelter or resting during the day, the cat will dig or climb into existing burrows. The black-footed cat has adapted well to the dry tropical climate as it does not need access to running water. Recommended conservation measures include more detailed research on its distribution, threats and status as well as further ecological studies in different habitats. The black-footed cat is the smallest wild cat native to Africa. It is rare compared to the other small cat species occurring in southern Africa and occurs at low densities. Felis nigripes is included on CITES Appendix I and protected by national legislation across most of its range. Black-footed cats are aboriginal to the dry regions of the southern parts of Africa like Angola, Nambia, Zimbabwe, but not in the sandiest or most sterile area of the Namib or Kalahari deserts.. Before the abundances of black-footed cats reduced, there have been so many sightings of black-footed cats in Botswana.Recently, no black-footed cat has been seen in Botswana for a long time. Habitat. The black-footed cat stalks its prey on the ground or waits at the burrow entrances of rodents. The black-footed cat is one of the best studied small felids. Farmers in South Africa and Namibia consider the similar looking African wildcat a predator of small livestock and set steel-jaw traps and poisoned bait to get rid of it. Sometimes the spots will merge into ring-looking shapes. At 5 months cubs are independent but remain within the range of the mother for longer. They spend most of the day resting in places where they can’t be seen, and come out at night to hunt. Black-footed cats seem to be more rare than other small, African felids and populations seem to be fragmented. Nov 1, 2020 - Explore Ya-Ting Fan's board "black footed cat" on Pinterest. One or more males follow the female, which is receptive for only 2.2 days and copulate up to 10 times. They were given a great home as well as the necessary treatment by … They are the second smallest species of cat, weighing in at 2-5 pounds (1-2.5 kilo). Scent marking by spraying urine onto tufts of grass and shrubs is thought to play an important role in reproduction and social organisation. See more ideas about black footed cat, wild cats, cats. The black-footed cat is classified as Vulnerable by the, Home range sizes vary between regions depending on the available resources and are rather large for a small cat with average size of 8.6–10 and up to 21.5 km² for females and on average 16.1–21.3 and up to 79.9 km² for males. It is one of the world’s smallest cats. 110118 LIVESCIENCE: Adorable, Remorseless Killing Machine is World’s Deadliest Cat. The estrus cycle lasts 11–12 days and the gestation period 63–68 days. Females are smaller with a maximum head-to-body-length of 36.9 cm (14.5 in) an… The kittens are moved around to new locations on a regular basis for protection. It mainly inhabits dry regions and prefers open, sparsely vegetated habitats such as open savannah, grasslands, the Karoo and Kalahari regions with sparse shrub and tree cover and a mean annual rainfall of between 100 and 500 mm. The main threats to black-footed cats are habitat degradation and indiscriminate pest control methods such as the use of poison. One individual was even observed to take refuge in an aardwolf den, which was still occupied by the aardwolf and leaving approximately one hour later with the aardwolf still inside. Male home ranges overlap with those of 1, The birth season is not yet fully studied. Both East and West of this band there are fewer records. The cat has large eyes and its fur color can range from a reddish-brown to beige, with black and brown spots. They are mostly solitary animals and do not come within range of the territory of other individuals except during mating, which makes the population's gene pool more susceptible to … Population number. The Black-footed cat Working Group aims to conserve the black-footed cat by conducting multidisciplinary research on the species by different means such as camera trapping, radio telemetry but also the collection and analysis of biological samples. [3] Males reach a head-to-body length of 36.7 to 43.3 cm (14.4 to 17.0 in) with tails 16.4 to 19.8 cm (6.5 to 7.8 in) long. Name combination. ( IUCN Cat Specialist Group, 1996 ; Nowak, 1999 ; Silwa, 2008 ) Males and females spray mark, especially during mating season. The black-footed cat is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List and in the National Red List of Mammals of South Africa, Swaziland and Lesotho. This cat is not only rare but very small. It’s a beautiful but apparently uncommon animal whose population is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It co-occurs with various larger felids and canids such as caracal and black-backed jackal, which are competitors for space and food, but also potential predators. Black-foooted cats are only active at night. One of the cat’s main threats is its vulnerability to larger predators. At first glance, it would be easy to mistake the black-footedcat for any other feral cat. The black-footed cat is a terrestrial hunter preying on rodents (gerbils, mice, and shrews) as well as on small birds. Please check your email for further instructions. The black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) is part of the genus Felis and is considered to be a monotypic species. The black footed cat is Africa’s smallest wild cat and although only listed as vulnerable on IUCN Red List, they are rarely seen owing to their strictly nocturnal nature. The cat will stalk its prey and chase it out in the open. The cat has a stocky appearance, with rounded ears. Hunting is banned in Botswana and South Africa. 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