| African Golden Cat[1] | ||||||||||||||||
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| Profelis aurata (Temminck, 1827) |
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 Distribution of the African Golden Cat Possible range or accidental records
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The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. It is about 80 cm (31.5 inches) long, and has a tail of about 30 cm (approximately one foot) in length. It is a close relative of both the Caracal and the Serval[3], but current classification places it as the only member of the genus Profelis.[1]
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Physical attributes
The African Golden Cat has variable fur color. Fur is typically cinnamon or reddish brown, but there also exist black or grey color variants. They are about twice the size of a domestic cat. Their rounded head is very small in relation to their body size. They are a heavily built cat, with stocky, long legs and large paws. They are a rusty brown, grey, or golden in color, and can either be spotted, with the spotting ranging from faded tan to heavy black in color, or not spotted at all. Their undersides, areas around the eyes, cheeks, chin and throat are lighter colored to almost white. Their long tail is darker on the top and ends in a black tip. Those cats in the western parts of its range tend to have heavier spotting than those in the eastern areas. This cat has two color morphs, a red and a grey phase, which variations were once thought to indicate separate species, rather than variations of the same species. [4]
Body length usually varies within the range 61-100 cm (24-40 inches). Tail length varies within the range 16-46 cm (6.5-18 inches), and shoulder height is about 38-55 cm (about 1-2 feet). Male specimens weigh in the range 11-14 kg (24-31 lbs) while the only recorded weight of a female specimen was 6.2 kg (13.7 lbs).
Overall, the African Golden Cat resembles the Caracal, but has shorter ears.
Social and reproductive habits
Due to its extremely solitary existence, little is known about the African Golden Cat's lifespan or reproductive behavior in the wild. They are terrestrial and solitary, and can be either crepuscular/nocturnal or diurnal depending on their location. These cats live up to about 15 years in captivity, but their lifespan in the wild is unknown.
Knowledge of the African Golden Cat's reproductive habits is based on captive specimens. They breed readily in captivity. Following a gestation period of 75 days, one or two kittens are born. Their eyes open a week after birth, are weaned at 6-8 weeks, and are sexually mature at 18 months.
Behavior and diet
Due to its extremely reclusive living style, not much is known about this cat's behavior.
The African Golden Cat is able to climb, but hunts primarily on the ground. Prey includes rodents, birds, small monkeys, the tree hyrax, small antelope species, such as the duiker, and even the Giant Forest Hog. These cats have also been known to take domestic poultry and livestock.[4]
Subspecies
There are two subspecies of the African golden cat:
- Profelis aurata aurata - from Congo to Uganda
- Profelis aurata celidogaster - throughout Western Africa
Each of the subspecies has two distinct spotting patterns. P. a. aurata can either have spots just on its lower body, or no spots at all except a few indistinct spots on the belly. P. a. celidogaster can either be spotted all over, or have a few spots on the back and neck with a few large spots on the sides of the body. [4]
The African Golden Cat is similar to the Asian Golden Cat, but studies indicate that the reason is convergent evolution.
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Profelis aurata |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Profelis aurata |
- ^ a b Wozencraft, W. C. (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds). ed. Mammal Species of the World (3rd edition ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 544. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3.
- ^ Breitenmoser, C., Henschel, P. & Sogbohossou, E. (2008). Profelis aurata. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2008. Retrieved on 11 May 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened
- ^ Johnson et al.. The Late Miocene Radioton of Modern Felidae: A Genetic Assessment. pp. 73 - 77, Science Vol. 311.
- ^ a b c Postanowicz, Rebecca. "African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata)". http://lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=36. Retrieved 2009-05-12.
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