12/31/2023 0 Comments Cat paw print patternIt feeds on 40 different vertebrates and kills up to 14 small animals per night. It moves between 5 and 16 km (3.1 and 9.9 mi) on average in search of small rodents and birds. It usually rests in burrows during the day and hunts at night. This research allowed direct observation of its behaviour in its natural habitat. The black-footed cat has been studied using radio telemetry since 1993. The population is suspected to be declining due to poaching of prey species for human consumption as bushmeat, persecution, traffic accidents, and predation by herding dogs. Due to its restricted distribution, it has been listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List since 2002. It was recorded in southern Botswana, but only few authentic records exist in Namibia, in southern Angola and in southern Zimbabwe. It is endemic to the arid steppes and grassland savannas of Southern Africa. The first black-footed cat known to science was discovered in the northern Karoo of South Africa and described in 1824. It bears black streaks running from the corners of the eyes along the cheeks, and its banded tail has a black tip. With its bold small spots and stripes on the tawny fur, it is well camouflaged, especially on moonlit nights. Despite its name, only the soles of its feet are black or dark brown. The black-footed cat ( Felis nigripes), also called the small-spotted cat, is the smallest wild cat in Africa, having a head-and-body length of 35–52 cm (14–20 in). Distribution of the black-footed cat in 2016
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