When we hear about wild cats, images of tigers, lions or cheetahs are drawn in our heads, but few people know that most cats living in the wild are small. Many of them are even smaller than pets, but they more than compensate for the lack of dimensions with fearlessness and dexterity. In addition, these cats are incredibly beautiful. Like their relatives, small wild cats are on the verge of extinction due to a decrease in habitat, poaching, survival from their homes by local people and livestock.
But since tiny wild cats are not so popular in the media compared to cheetahs or tigers, their funds for their protection make up only one percent of the total amount spent on keeping wild cats. That is why these beautiful animals remain insufficiently studied and unprotected. In this article we will talk about nine species of wild cats of tiny size that are listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
1
Rusty cat
Posted by: Davidvraju / CC BY-SA
This animal claims to be the smallest wild cat in the world. Her rival is a black-footed cat from Africa, but a rusty cat certainly excels on the Asian continent. It lives among the deciduous forests of Sri Laki and India. The length of the cat does not exceed 50 cm, with about half the length of the tail. The weight of the animal reaches 1.7 kg.
This is one of the smallest types of cats, but with huge conceit. Behind a tiny body and huge eyes, like a cat in Shrek, a rather aggressive and dangerous predator hides. A rusty cat has incredible dexterity and feels equally confident both on the ground and on the trees. She is ruthless in her prey (small birds and rodents), which she catches up with sharp and lightning jerks.
Unfortunately, the animal is on the verge of extinction, the rusty cat is listed by the IUCN in the Red Book, since the population of the tiny predator is declining by the day and by the hour.
You can see a rusty cat in the wild in Ceylon Wilpattu National Park. The local organization for the study of birds and wild animals carefully monitors the conservation and breeding of this species of cats.
2
Black-footed cat
And here is the main rival of a rusty cat, a representative of southern Africa - a black-footed cat. It lives in the desert regions of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. The average weight of a black-footed cat is 1.7 kg with a maximum length of 50 centimeters. Moreover, about 20 cm is the tail of the animal.
Despite its tiny size, it has the glory of the smallest "deadly feline". Its efficiency during hunting is at the highest level, exceeding the success rate of such recognized masters as tigers and cheetahs. In just one night, a black-footed cat can catch about 15 representatives of rodents or small birds.
Today, there are no more than 9,700 representatives of black-footed cats in the world, which makes it a “vulnerable" type of animal. If you want to see this feline in wildlife, go to South Africa, where a black-footed cat frolics in the open spaces of the Marrick Game Lodge protected nature reserve.
And if you want to know more about the largest domestic cats in the world, follow the link.
3
Chilean cat
Photo by: Greg Hume / CC BY-SA
This feline is the smallest in South America. The length of the Chilean cat does not exceed 77 cm. It is interesting that the tail of the animal occupies about 30% of the entire body length, and the maximum weight does not reach 3 kg. The range of the Chilean cat includes the southern and central regions of Chile, as well as a small part in southeast Argentina.
Despite the fact that the code (the second name of the Chilean cat) is distinguished by its dexterity, which allows it to move quickly in the mountains, it prefers to hunt on the ground. Usually, hunting is carried out at night, and small mammals, lizards, insects and birds are the prey of the cat. The population of Chilean cats is rapidly declining, which is why they are included in the Red Book of IUCN in the list of “vulnerable” animals.
This feline species can be observed in the wild on Chiloe Island in Chile. Various travel companies offer four- and three-day tours to the island, which are especially remembered due to the presence of rare species of wildlife.
4
Sumatran cat
Photo by Jim Sanderson / CC BY-SA
The appearance of this cat is quite unusual. She has a flat head with a wide frontal part, as well as low-set miniature ears. Adults reach a weight of up to 3.5 kg. Unfortunately, the Sumatran cat is one of the most vulnerable feline in the world. It lives in Southeast Asia in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.
In the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Sumatran cat is listed as “endangered”. Only 2.5 thousand adults remained in nature, and not a single independent population totaled more than 250 cats.
The odd look of a Sumatran cat is explained by its half-aquatic lifestyle. Paws with the likeness of membranes and without the possibility of retracting claws, a wide forehead, elongated sharp teeth, like fangs - all this developed in the process of evolution, which allows the cat to hunt in water for fish and small aquatic vertebrates, including frogs.
You can see a Sumatran cat on the Indonesian island of Borneo. Sukau Rainforest Hotel was built on the banks of the Kinabatangan River. It is there that the largest representation of Sumatran cats is located, the state of which is monitored by many specialists working at the hotel.
5
Oncilla
These small predatory cats live in almost all countries of the northern and central parts of South America. The name oncilla in the local dialect is translated as "little jaguar." This is not surprising, because animals are extremely similar to their older counterparts in color and physique. The maximum oncilla weight is 3 kg with a length of 60 centimeters.
Although cats feel great on trees, they often hunt on the ground, where they first carry out an exhausting pursuit of prey, and then attack it and kill it. The main victims of the oncilla are small rodents, birds and poisonous snakes.
Scientists distinguish several subspecies of oncilla, and the northern "jaguars" do not have sexual contact with relatives from the southern regions of Brazil. Although the total number of subspecies reaches 4, it is customary to distinguish southern and northern types of animals.
Both subspecies can be seen in Ecuador, where in the protected natural park Bellavista Lodge they feel quite relaxed. However, the total number of “small leopards” is noticeably reduced, as a result of which IUCN has included the oncilla in the Red Book as “vulnerable” animals.
On our site thebiggest.ru there is an article about extinct animals in the 21st century. We strongly recommend looking at them.
6
Sand cat
The only wild member of the feline family that lives in this desert. The range of the dune cat includes the desert territories of North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. With a maximum weight of 3.5 kg and a length of 90 cm, the predator is able to kill poisonous snakes, for example, vipers. However, he prefers to hunt birds and small mammals.
A sand cat is ideally suited for survival in the desert with its extreme climate. Thick sand coat protects the animal from cold desert nights and hides it from larger animals and hunters. And the inserts of black hair on the paws protect them from burning hot sand. The population of sand dunes is reliably unknown, however. Despite the cat is listed in IUCN Appendix II, it is considered the most protected among wild cats, which TheBiggest is very happy about.
Due to the secretive lifestyle, a velvet cat is not easy to see in the wild. To better study the habits of the animal, you should go to Western Sahara in the Wise Birding Holidays Nature Reserve.
7
Bengal cat
Photo by Kuribo / CC BY-SA
In Western countries, Bengal cats are called leopard cats, so confusion can sometimes occur, since there is a special kind of domestic cat, also called Bengal. Wild feline representatives of this breed live in the southern and eastern regions of Asia. The population of Bengal cats of the Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo has recently been bred into a separate species called the Bengal cat of the zunda.
With a body length of 65 centimeters, this cat takes third place among the smallest wild animals of the Asian cat family. Bengal cats climb trees perfectly, preying on their inhabitants, insects and small rodents. The population of this species is considered to be quite stable, therefore, it is listed in the IUCN Red Book with the mark “Least Risk of Extinction”.
Most of the national parks of the island of Borneo in Indonesia can boast of the presence of a Bengal cat, which feels great in the wild, but under the supervision of the animal welfare service.
8
Margay
Photo by: Clément Bardot / CC BY-SA
Margay or long-tailed cat is one of the most dexterous representatives of the cat family. The average weight of the animal is 6 kg, and its range includes the countries of Central and South America. This "relative" of the ocelot spends most of his life on trees. The animal has flexible ankle joints, which allow it to quickly descend from the trees upside down.
A long tail (about 40 centimeters with a body length of 70 cm) provides excellent balancing on the branches. Even new offspring of long-tailed cats appear on trees.
But dexterity is not the only talent of Margay. A cat can imitate the sounds of a small monkey called piebald tamarin to lure a primate closer and attack him. Despite his talents, the long-tailed cat is on the verge of extinction, and is listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Since Margai hides almost all his life among the dense foliage of tropical trees, it is quite difficult to see it. You can do this at the Widsumaco Lodge Nature Reserve in Ecuador. Perhaps you are lucky and you will capture a cat acrobat in the wild.
9
Manul
If you want to see an angry wild cat, then the manul is exactly what you need. It is also called the Pallas cat, named after a naturalist from Germany, who discovered manula for science at the end of the 18th century. This furry cat with a gloomy facial expression lives in the mountainous regions of Central Asia.
Although the manul seems rather large, its maximum weight barely reaches 5 kg. It's all about fluffy wool, which adds dimensions to the animal. Such a "fur coat" is necessary for the cat to survive in the harsh climatic conditions of the highlands.
Although the range of the Pallas cat is quite wide, this species is listed in the IUCN Red List marked “Endangered”. The best place to see a cat in the wild is Sichuan, China, where the Sichuan Birding Nature Reserve is located on the Tibetan plateau.
Our list has come to an end. TheBiggest editors ask you to write in the comments which little wild cats impressed you the most. What wild cats have you seen live?
Article author: Alexey Shcherbakov