Bush cat
The Southern African wildcat (Felis lybica cafra ) is an African wildcat subspecies. In 2007, it was tentatively recognized as a distinct subspecies on the basis of genetic analysis. It is also known in English as the 'bush cat'.
The body of the Southern African wildcat is marked with vertical stripes but these can vary from faint to quite distinct. The tail is ringed with black and has a black tip. The chin and throat are white and the chest is usually paler than the rest of the body. The feet are jet black underneath. There are two color phases; iron-grey, with black and whitish speckling, and tawny-grey, with less black and more buffy speckling. In appearance, it is very similar to a domestic cat, although the legs are proportionately longer. The most distinguishable characteristic is the rich reddish-brown color on the backs of the ears, over the belly, and on the back legs.
Southern African wildcats are widespread throughout Africa south of the equator, but they do not occur along the Namibian coast. They live in a wide range of habitats that provide some sort of cover; these include forests, woodlands, bushland, savannahs, steppes, and semi-desert regions.
Southern African wildcats are largely nocturnal and prefer to rest in cover during the day. They are solitary, except for mating and raising their young, and they are highly territorial. The territory of a male typically overlaps with several females. African wildcats are adaptable predators and are able to change their diet according to seasonal and longer-term prey abundances and availability. They have acute hearing and can locate prey precisely. They approach prey by patiently crawling forward and using vegetation to hide. When confronted, African wildcats raise their hair to make themselves seem larger in order to intimidate their opponent.
South African wildcats are carnivores and mainly hunt small rodents. They may also take other small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other invertebrates. They rarely drink water.
Little is known about the reproductive behavior of Souther African wildcats. In general, female African wildcats give birth to 3-5 kittens after the gestation period of 56-60 days. They give birth and raise young in dens hidden in dense grass, in burrows, or in hollow trees. The kittens open their eyes after about 10-14 days and are mobile at the age of one month. At around 3 months of age, they start learning hunting techniques from their mothers. They leave their family and become independent at the age of around 6 months of age.
The main threat to the survival of the Southern African wildcat is its tendency to crossbreed with domestic cats near human habitations. Other serious threats include persecution by hunters and farmers, as well as habitat loss.
Presently, the South African wildcat is not included in the IUCN Red List and its conservation status has not been evaluated. Generally, the African wildcat species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List.
