The exotic of Africa attracts many of us. But the African continent is not only unusual for us nature, but also wild animals, which are of extraordinary interest. In our article, we will talk about wild African cats.
African animals
There are many unusual animals in Africa. Elephants, hippos and giraffes have been familiar to us since childhood. Most often it is these inhabitants of the Black Continent that we can see in zoos. But it is worth remembering about 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 pussies. They are capable of terrifying even people, let alone small animals. One of the wild inhabitants of Africa is the African black-footed cat. A cute, pretty animal lives in deserts and looks like a pet, although, unlike the latter, it is by no means peaceful in nature and tries very hard not to catch sight of a person. Yes, the creature's appearance is very deceiving. The African black-footed cat is not a harmless creature, but a very dangerous and brave predator. Aborigines are afraid of the beast and have long been legends about it. It is worth noting that the cat is the smallest representative of wild cats. It is also called an ant tiger. Such a nickname speaks for itself.
Range of miniature predators
Wild African cats live in the desert regions of South Africa. The animals were chosen in a number of countries: Botswana, Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Scientists distinguish two varieties of black-footed cats. The more numerous of them has a light color and lives in Namibia. The size of the second group is much smaller; its representatives live in Botswana.
In some countries, rare wild cats are protected, hunting is prohibited. So, the conservation of the population is taken care of in Botswana and South Africa. In these countries, work is being done to combat poachers. In addition, animals often die from the attack of dogs and under the wheels of cars. Human populations also negatively affect population size.
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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 big head and expressive eyes that flicker in the dark with bright blue light. Animals see well at night. In addition, their hearing and sense of smell are highly developed.
The appearance of the ant tiger is very deceiving. at first glance, it looks like a homemade pussy, but in fact it is a cruel African predator. The color of the animal’s coat can vary from light yellow to reddish brown. The color of the cat is complemented by a pattern of black spots, which sometimes merge into stripes. This camouflage color well camouflages a predator, making it invisible to enemies and prey. Thick wool on the paw pads reliably protects cats from the hot desert sand.
The nature of the black-footed cat and his lifestyle
Wild cats do not build shelters for themselves, they settle in ready-made termite mounds or rabbit minks. Predators willingly settle in the burrows of other animals, such as porcupines, having previously driven out the previous owners. In such secluded places, cats sit out in the daytime. And at dusk they go hunting. Predators can walk up to ten kilometers per day in search of prey. Cats tolerate drought and heat. For a long time they can remain without food and water.
The beast patiently tracks its prey, moving quietly and silently. Predator attack is swift and sudden. Cats live and hunt only on the ground, because short legs do not allow them to climb trees.
The hunting grounds of one animal reach 15 square meters. km But the females control three times less land area. Each cat marks the borders of its territory and zealously guards it from strangers.
What do cats eat?
The diet of a formidable predator is diverse. It contains birds, rodents, reptiles, insects and amphibians. A bold animal is absolutely not afraid of the size of the enemy. It can easily attack prey, which is twice as large as himself. Most often, a black-footed cat comes out of their fights as a 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 a steppe cat. Wild beauty looks like a pet, but has larger sizes. Such animals live not only in Africa, but also in Asia and on 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 body length of the steppe cat is 63-70 centimeters, and the tail - 23-33 centimeters. On average, animals weigh from 3 to 8 kilograms. Females have larger sizes and greater body weight compared to males.
Predators are armed with powerful retraction claws. A long tail and large ears are a feature of the animal. The 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 hair in the throat and abdomen is colored white.
Lifestyle Steppe Beauties
African cats lead a secluded, terrestrial lifestyle. They hunt at night. Cats can climb trees well, but still prefer to spend time on the ground.
Predators go hunting at dusk. In cold periods they can be seen during the day. Animals rest in abandoned burrows, crevices of rocks, dense grass and in ravines. Interestingly, steppe cats meow in the same way as pets do.
Diet
With the onset of darkness cats go hunting. As prey, animals are interested in rodents. Predators climb trees perfectly, so they get to bird nests, which gives them the opportunity to eat eggs. In sultry periods they feed on insects and even lizards.
During the hunt, the animal creeps up to the victim and quickly attacks. Predators can watch their 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 on hunting only after they wash the coat. In this way, they rid the wool of odors that can scare away prey.
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 a wild golden cat. But externally and in color more like a cheetah. Servals live in the mountainous regions of Kenya. Black animals are sometimes found in nature.
Predators prefer to live in savannas south of the Sahara desert. But in the mountainous areas they can also be found. But servals try to avoid deserts, because they need sources of water. But at the same time, animals do not like tropical rainforests.
Larger predators hunt servals, but their population is large, and therefore they are not classified as rare or endangered species.
Serval lifestyle
Animals belong to nocturnal predators. Most of the serval prey is small animals (rodents). The diet also includes damans, lizards, hares, insects, snakes and frogs. During the hunt, the servals freeze and stand motionless, listening to the rustlings. Hearing prey, 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 quick cats jump and in height. They bring down birds in flight, bouncing three meters. Animals have long legs, which allows them to reach speeds of up to 80 km / h. Thanks to this, the serval can hunt for 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. Females are not so active. Their territory does not exceed 20 km. sq.
The appearance of the animal
Adult servals reach 90-135 cm in length and 65 cm in height. The main distinguishing feature of the animal is its small head and rather short tail against the background of a large body. Outwardly, the predator vaguely resembles a lynx or caracal. But he has the same color as the cheetah. The muzzle, chest and stomach of the predators are white, and the large ears are black 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 the servals living in different regions of Africa is different.
Cheetahs
Cheetahs are another member of the feline family. Animals are considered the fastest on the planet, because they develop speeds of the order of 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 representatives of the feline family, cheetahs are daytime 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 visually, and not by smell, so at night they rest.
