Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis): a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East.
There are three members of the Procaviidae or hyrax family: the rock hyrax, tree hyrax, and bush or yellow-spotted hyrax.
Size and Weight:
Hyraxes measure 12 to 23 inches in length and measure 8 to 12 inches in height, at the shoulder. They weigh 4 to 13 pounds.
Appearance:
While the rock hyrax looks like a large guinea pig or a rabbit with rounded, short ears and no tail, it is neither. The rock hyrax shares an ancestor with the elephant and has similar teeth, toes, and skull structure to that of an elephant. It has strong molars, which it uses to eat tough vegetation, and two large incisor teeth that grow out to be tiny tusks, just like an elephant.
The rock hyrax’s coat ranges in color from yellowish to grayish-brown, with a lighter underbelly. On their back, they have a dorsal gland, or sweat gland, which is covered with longer, darker hairs. This gland is used to mark rocks or trees to communicate with other hyraxes. They have short legs and stumpy toes with hoof-like nails. They have longer, claw-like nails, called a grooming claw, on the inner toe of the back foot that is used for grooming and scratching. In comparison to the other two hyrax species, the rock hyrax’s head is more rounded and the nose is blunt.
Diet:
The rock hyrax is diurnal and typically feeds during the daytime. Although they spend only about five percent of their time doing active pursuits like searching for food and spend the rest of their time lounging and doing nothing. Their diet varies depending on the time of year. During the wet season, rock hyraxes eat mostly grass. However, when the grass dries, they switch to fruits and leaves. Their stomachs have three chambers with bacteria, which help them to digest the plants they eat. When they feed, groups form a circle formation with their heads pointing out to keep an eye out for predators.
Habitat:
Their habitat includes the savanna, shrubland, desert, and rocky areas, such as inland cliffs and mountain peaks.
Geography:
All three hyrax species live throughout most of Africa. However, rock hyraxes are also found along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula up to Lebanon.
Breeding:
Within their large colonies, there is typically one male for every five to seven females that patrols a certain territory. Hyraxes have extremely long pregnancies, with a gestation period of seven to eight months. A female gives birth to 1 to 4 pups at a time, usually around the same time once each year. Infants are born with their ears and eyes open and within an hour after birth, they can run and jump. They look like miniature adults with the same luxuriant coat.
Nursery groups are formed within the colony for all the babies, where mothers take turns babysitting the pups. While the pups suckle until they are three months old, they begin to eat vegetation within the first three days of birth. Over the next few months of their lives, the young learn from their mother, siblings, and other group members by watching and then repeating the actions they see. While females stay within the same colony for life, males leave the colony at about two years of age to go live on the outskirts of another colony and perhaps take it over one day.
Social Structure:
Rock hyraxes are social animals that live in colonies of up to 50 individuals. They share sleeping areas and look for food together. The group begins their day by sunbathing for several hours. Once warmed up, they head out for a short period of feeding. If the weather is cold or rainy, they will not leave their rock shelter.
Lifespan:
The rock hyrax median life expectancy is 4.9 years.
Threats:
There are no major threats to this species and are even considered a pest in some areas, competing with farmers by eating their plants. They are hunted for their meat and soft fur, but their population remains stable.
Orcas are a type of marine animal. They are sometimes misidentified as whales because of their ‘killer whale’ name. But did you know that orcas are actually classified as dolphins? They are, in fact, the largest members of the dolphin family! In ancient times, mariners reported seeing orcas hunting larger whales and called them “killer whales” as a result.
Orcas may be found in every ocean on the planet. You’ll find them in the Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Mexico, from Japan’s coastal waters to the Atlantic Ocean, and from the Arctic seas to Antarctica. Because of their extraordinarily broad range across the world and erratic migrations, determining the precise global population is challenging. It is estimated that there are more than 50,000 orcas.
The average orca lifespan is between 30-50 years in the wild. In captivity, their lifespan has been averaged between 10-45 years. Orcas kept in captivity are thought to live shorter lives than those in the wild; however, this is open to scientific debate.
In orcas, life expectancy differs between sexes. Wild female orcas live an average of 50 to 80 years. Wild males live an average of 29 years, with a maximum lifespan of roughly 60 years.
Some researchers claim that females have lived even longer than most estimates. Orca Granny (J2) was considered by some experts to have been as old as 105 years old at the time of her death, despite a biopsy sample indicating her age to be 65 to 80 years.
The Average Orca Life Cycle
The orca life cycle is unique in many regards. Let’s explore each stage in more detail to better understand how these magnificent creatures reproduce.
Gestation Period
Pregnancies of killer whales last 18 months, making it one of the longest gestations of any mammal. Babies are born all year, and there is no statistical evidence supporting birth seasons.
Unfortunately, orcas have a high risk of miscarriage and newborn death which is why many of their pregnancies don’t result in birth.
Newborn Calf
Newborn baby orcas are called calves. Calves are around 8 feet long and weigh about 400 pounds when they are born. Each orca female gives birth to only one calf at a time. The calf’s dorsal fin and tail flukes are soft and malleable in the first few days after birth. They stiffen over time as the orcas grow. Most calves grow around 64 cm (25 in.) during their first year and acquire roughly 400 kg (882 lbs.). They grow to be around 53 cm (21 in.) during their second year.
Adolescence
As the young orcas grow, the adults teach them the skills necessary for hunting and interacting with other orcas. They advise them on the ideal eating and breeding sites, as well as the optimal migration routes. Orca culture varies widely among groups, and knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. Even when they reach adults, orcas remain with their mothers.
Adult Orca
Female orcas reach sexual maturity between the ages of 6 and 10 and begin mating around the age of 14. Males acquire sexual maturity between the ages of 10 and 13 years.
Orcas are extremely sociable creatures with intricate social structures. As they age, they continue to live in pods of up to 50 members. However, this varies according to their specific group. Males, females, and calves of varying ages make up a pod. They frequently stick together in pods, share prey, and don’t leave the group for more than a few hours at a time.
What Factors Threaten The Orca’s Lifespan
Orcas are apex predators, which means they have no natural predators. However, they are still susceptible to threats from other sources.
Orcas are threatened by:
Getting trapped in fishing nets by accident: Orcas are extremely vulnerable to being caught in fishing gear. Whales that become entangled may drag and swim for long distances with connected gear or become fixed in a spot and become unable to swim. These kinds of incidents cause exhaustion, impaired feeding capacity, or serious injuries, which can lead to death.
Oil spills: The 1989 Alaska Exxon Valdez oil disaster directly caused the deaths of individual killer whales. On the other hand, oil spills reduce the variety of prey species available to killer whales, which can have an indirect effect on the animals. In addition, they have been observed to accumulate some pollutants in oil, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), especially because they are known to migrate in various waters.
Food scarcity: Overfishing and habitat destruction have reduced the availability of prey for some orcas. Killer whales may have lower reproduction rates and higher death rates if there is insufficient prey.
There are five main species, but some data shows as many as eight when counting subspecies. Ibex are wild goats with cloven hoofs and very long horns that curve over their back. Males typically also have beards. The alpine ibex is the most common type, and the Asiatic ibex is generally considered a subspecies.
Incredible Ibex Facts!
The animal’s hooves work like suction cups to allow them to climb sheer cliffs
The Siberian ibex has the largest horns within the genus at 100 – 148 cm
Most males and females stay in gender-segregated herds for much of their life
Ibex herds stay close to “escape terrain” in tall cliffs
Ibex Scientific name
These animals belong to the genus Capra and the family Bovidae. It has a number of subspecies, including the following:
Capra aegagrus aegagrus (Bezoar ibex)
Capra ibex (alpine ibex)
Capra nubiana (Nubian ibex)
Capra walie (Walia ibex)
Capra pyrenaica (Iberian ibex)
Capra sibirica (Siberian or Asiatic ibex)
Capra caucasica (West Caucasian ibex)
Capra cylindricornis (East Caucasian ibex)
The alpine species is the most commonly referenced species. It is also known by the names of steinbock and bouquetin. The scientific name Capra means goat in Italian.
Ibex Appearance
Most species of these animals have a brown or gray coat. The exact shade and thickness are determined by where they live. For example, the Nubian species have a shiny coat that reflects the sun and helps them keep cool. Nubian ibex are smaller than other species and have slimmer horns. The alpine ibex is a typical example of the species. Adult males weigh around 220 pounds and stand about three feet at the shoulder. Females are about four inches shorter and weigh about half as much at 110 pounds. Males have long horns that curl over their backs. The horns are strongly ridged on the front. Males also have beards.
Ibex Behavior
These animals typically socialize in gender-specific herds. This means that there are male herds and female herds. The male herds are often called bachelor herds. The two herds only meet up during breeding seasons. Sometimes, older males will wander alone without a herd. Female herds usually have 10 to 20 animals. The animal will usually flee from people, but if it’s rutting season males can be particularly aggressive and might charge.
Ibex Habitat
These animals live primarily in high mountain regions and tall cliffs. These habitats make it difficult for predators to get to the animal. The Walia species lives in the highest reaches of the Ethiopian highlands at elevations of up to 14,800 feet. The Nubian ibex is found in the hills around the Red Sea and the Egyptian highlands. The alpine species is found mainly in the European Alps. They can be found in countries like France, Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Italy, and Switzerland. The Iberian or Spanish ibex lives mainly in the southern Pyrenees on the Iberian Peninsula. It was previously found all through the Pyrenees and in the south of France. The Pyrenean ibex is a subspecies of the Iberian
species, and it became extinct by the year 2000. The Pyrenean ibex was later cloned in 2009, but the specimen only lived for ten minutes.
The Siberian or Asiatic ibex is often considered a subspecies of the alpine species, but it may be a distinct species. It enjoys a wide distribution from Afghanistan to Mongolia. The animals are typically found at elevations as high as 5,300 meters above sea level. The Caucasian ibex is also known as the Caucasian tur, and it is found in the Caucasus.
The hoof structure of the animal makes it very nimble and skilled at climbing steep rocks. Despite living high in the mountains, they tend to avoid deep snow.
Ibex Diet
All of these animals are herbivores. They only eat vegetation like bushes, grasses, and shrubs. Vegetation high in the mountains tends to have low nutritional value, so the animal spends much of its day eating and grazing. Some of them will also climb into the lower branches of trees to eat leaves. As the animal avoids deep snow, they may come down from the steep elevations in the winter to find food. Herds tend to make sure that their range includes a dependable water source.
Ibex Predators and threats
The animal’s best defense against predators is its ability to climb to steep heights. Very few predators can follow them up the steep cliffs and mountains. A threatened animal may rear on its hind legs and point its horns towards the threat. Young animals are susceptible to being carried off by large birds of prey such as eagles.
At the start of the 19th century, the animal’s population was quickly dwindling. It was often hunted for superstitious reasons. A century of aggressive protection followed, and now many species of these animals are thriving. Currently, the only species near extinction are the Ethiopian and the Spanish ibex. The Pyrenean subspecies became extinct in the year 2000.
Ibex Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for these animals starts in late autumn to early winter. The males leave their bachelor herds to find females. Males often fight with other males to determine who can breed with the females. Despite the large horns of the animals, it’s rare for males to sustain serious damage from fights. Once the female becomes pregnant, the gestation period is about six months. Most young are born around May. These animals usually have one kid per litter. It’s possible for the ibex to have twins and even triplets, but the latter is very rare. Twins make up about 20% of births.
The babies are called kids, and they reach sexual maturity at about 18 months. They are often left alone when young to hide from predators. How long they stay alone depends on how quickly they pick up handling the terrain. The young usually stay with their mothers for at least a year. However, females do not reach their full body size until about five or six years of age, and males don’t reach it until nine to 11 years. The animal’s horns keep growing throughout their life.
These animals can live up to 20 years in the wild.
The Weasel (Mustela nivalis) is the smallest member of the Mustelid family and Britains smallest carnivore.
Common weasels are found in central and western Europe and the Mediterranean region (but not the Mediterranean islands). Weasels also inhabit North Africa, Asia and North America, and were introduced to New Zealand.
Weasels are widespread and common throughout England, Scotland and Wales but absent from Ireland, the Isle of Man and most smaller islands. Like the stoat, it is still persecuted by gamekeepers. Weasels look very similar to Stoats, the only noticeable difference being, that unlike stoats, weasels do not have a black tip to the tail.
Stoats
Both weasels and stoats have a very similar diet and enjoy similar habitats and ranges around Britain, yet they tend to stay out of each others way if possible. Male and Female stoats and weasels are referred to as a dog and a bitch respectively. The young are called kittens or kits. Collective nouns for a group of weasels include boogle, gang, pack and confusion.
The Weasel pre-breeding season population is estimated to be 450,000 adults.
WEASEL DESCRIPTION
Weasels vary in length, but generally, male weasels measure around 20 – 22 centimeters long and have a tail length of 6.5 centimeters and female weasels measure around 15 – 18 centimeters long and have a tail length of 4.5 centimeters. The average weasel weighs about 198 grams (7 ounces), however, males usually weigh up to 115 grams and females up to 59 grams.
Weasels bodies and necks are shaped cylindrically, they are long and slender and they have short legs. Their long slender bodies enable them to follow their prey into burrows.
Weasels have light brown fur on their backs and their underparts are creamy/white. The weasel is smaller than the stoat and lacks the small white patches under their chin and throat. In many weasel species, populations living at high latitudes moult to a white coat with black fur at the tip of the tail in winter. Weasels have sharp eyesight and excellent hearing.
WEASEL HABITATS
Weasels have a wide range of habitats from grasslands, sand dunes, lowland forests to upland moors and even towns, anywhere where there is suitable food. Their nests are made of grass and leaves, usually in holes in a wall, or tree stumps.
WEASEL DIET
Weasels feed on small mammals and in former times were considered vermin since some species took poultry from farms, or rabbits from commercial warrens. Certain species of weasel and ferrets, have been reported to perform the mesmerizing weasel ‘war dance’, after fighting other animals, or acquiring food from competing creatures. In folklore at least, this dance is particularly associated with the stoat. Mice and voles make up 60% – 80% of their diet, however, they also eat rats, frogs and birds. Their prey is killed with a sharp bite to the back of the neck. Prey is usually taken on the ground.
Cats, owls, foxes and birds of prey will all try to kill weasels, although a weasel will fight hard to defend itself.
WEASEL BEHAVIOUR
The weasel may travel up to 2.5 kilometers on a hunting expedition. Weasels are good climbers and will often raid birds nests, taking the eggs and young. When ratting, its courage is even greater than the stoats.
Female weasels are considerably smaller than males, however, both are small enough to pursue rats, mice and even field voles in their own tunnels. Weasels are crepuscular, active at twilight (dusk and dawn), and it must consume a quarter to a third of its body weight every day to survive.
Each weasel has a territory of 4 – 8 hectares (1 hectare is equal to 2 football pitches). Male territories are larger than females and they may overlap with one another. The size of the territory depends on the food supply; where there is plenty there is no need to hunt for food far and wide. The individual territories are marked with strong-smelling secretions from the anal scent glands.
Females stay in their territory throughout the year, however, during the mating season, males may travel long distances outside their normal range to find a mate. Weasels do not make themselves any kind of permanent burrow, they usually use the tunnel or burrow of one of the animals they have eaten.
WEASEL REPRODUCTION
Weasels breed between April and August, this is the only time males and females associate with each other. They produce 1 – 2 litters per year which contain 4 – 6 young each. Gestation period is around 5 weeks. The young of the first litter grow very fast, they are weaned at 4 weeks, at which time their eyes open and are able to hunt and kill at 5 – 8 weeks. They often accompany their mother on hunting expeditions.
Young weasels, born early in the year, are capable of breeding themselves during their first summer, unlike other British carnivores which do not breed until their second year.
Stoats and Weasels are quite different in their reproductive habits, this is probably due to the short life that weasels lead, forcing them to produce offspring as quickly as possible. Unlike stoats, weasels have no delayed implantation. Weasels have a life span of up to 2 – 3 years in the wild, up to 10 years in captivity.
WEASEL CONSERVATION STATUS
Neither the stoat or weasel is in any real danger of extinction in the UK, they are however threatened by hunting, habitat loss, poisoning and both often get run over on the country lanes. They do tend to live around farms as the hedgerow habitat and plentiful food supply suits them. This often leads them into conflict with farmers, especially problematic are stoats who are very able at snatching chickens, eggs as well as game birds.
In the animal kingdom, we often have the misconception that animals do not have the same emotions as humans. People think animals do not have bonds similar to the ones that we have with our family and friends.
Researchers discovered that there are individual animals that do have these strong family bonds. They may have scales or fur, but they are capable of having families similar to ours. These animals included dolphins, wolves, lions and, of course, elephants!
THE ROLE OF FAMILY IN ELEPHANTS
Elephants live in families that are called herds. These herds typically include related adult female elephants and their offspring. The African elephant behavior in herds is very cooperative, and they move together.
The entire family makes decisions together for the safety of each other and to find the necessary resources for survival. Not only do they help each other find resources, but they also help each other with offspring care. The elder female elephants help young mothers teach their offspring.
As for adult males, they do not live with the female herds. Adolescent male elephants will leave their natal herd and learn the rules to prepare for adulthood from older male elephants. The male elephants (bulls) live alone or with a group of bachelors. They travel to find female elephants who are willing to mate.
WHO IS THE MATRIARCH ELEPHANT?
Now you are probably wondering if the male elephants leave who is there to lead the herd of elephants? Well, it is the matriarch. The oldest and largest female elephant is the leader of the herd. This herd includes the daughters of the matriarch and their offspring.
THE ROLE OF THE MATRIARCH ELEPHANT
The matriarch plays a critical role in the life of the other female elephants. She influences the African elephant behavior and decisions, keeps them away from danger and teaches them how to care for their offspring. The matriarch needs to have wisdom, strong connections and confidence to guide the other elephants.
A herd of elephants travels with each other to find water and food. They look for guidance from the matriarch elephant to find water or food sources when there is drought. When there is a danger, the herd relies on the matriarch’s wisdom and experience to find the safest solution.
As the oldest of the herd, the matriarch has more knowledge about the dangers and needs that the elephants need to know to survive in those areas. She instructs her daughters on how to care for their young. Once one of the female elephants starts to bear babies, they all assist.
When the matriarch elephant dies, her position is taken by the closest relative to her. It is typically the oldest daughter.
Family plays a crucial role in African elephant behavior and life. Poaching has become a severe problem and disrupts elephant families. Elephant herds can lose their matriarchs or mothers due to poaching and disrupt family structures and leave young elephant orphans.
Yep, another David Attenborough post…….continuing the habit of watching episodes of Attenborough sir on BBC earth .
He’s been there for decades, the definitive accompaniment to the best wildlife television in the world. He’s certainly been there for whole lifetime, but for me from last 3-4 months I am on a steady diet of Attenborough. There have been so many memorable moments over this time, but how do you choose your favorite? Well let me help you by telling you the important part these wonderful programmed have played ….
There are so many wildlife programs around . There is Animal Planet and Discovery Channel, but I prefer BBC churning out its endless and inspiring series and documentaries. I’m sure there are *some* that don’t have David Attenborough as an accompaniment but I don’t remember them. Indeed it is just the way of the world as far as I am concerned, if a wildlife film got made then the laws of the universe meant David Attenborough brought in to do it.
I am searching online for bits of his landmark series. Life on Earth when I was really small. That stunning piece of work was watched by 15 million people in the UK and a further 500 million worldwide. Essentially though, it was before my time and I was too young to appreciate it in 1979.
I think my first recollection of actually making a point of watching his programs recently in this year when its aired on BBC earth. Than my search never ends, to find more and more about there vast experiences about natural world. It sealed my fascination with the natural world, and especially its fiery, explosive volcanic side. I also remember being fixed to the spot with my jaw open, watching David Attenborough appear weightless in a NASA aero plane. After that I was hooked, and that distinctive voice became my essential companion for any program about the natural world.
His every show about animal or about plants, later became my absolutely unmissable viewing each week. Funnily enough it is frequently overlooked and forgotten these days in favor of the many series that David Attenborough actually presented in the flesh, but it still had the signature class, fascination and beauty of the BBC Natural History Unit.
Even though he only provided the narration, that was enough to make it his own. memorable episodes that spring to mind include the one following the millions of crabs that swarm over Christmas Island (Kingdom of the Crabs)……
I think it remains my favorite of all his work, and it had some memorable scenes that still move me just thinking about them.
The devotion and endurance of the emperor penguins standing motionless, lasting-out the endless Antarctic winter. The desiccated remains of a seal in one of the driest places on earth, perhaps over a thousand years old. The staggering efforts made by tiny chinstrap penguins to reach nesting grounds hundreds of meters up steep rocky slopes. The heartbreaking way a penguin escapes a mauling by a seal, waddles blood-stained up a slope, settles down and then ‘goes to sleep’.
But what about a favorite moment? Well…..I think it’s obvious by now that I can’t pick just one moment. I’ve already mentioned so many. Even the great man himself can’t narrow it down to any manageable degree, as illustrated by his choice of his favorite clips on the BBC website. Take a look, doubtless it will be a trip down memory lane for you. Careful though! You could be there a long time.
Snow leopards. The first shot the Planet Earth team got of an elusive snow leopard, barely visible through heavy snow, was almost like a dream. Very beautiful and extremely moving. I couldn’t find the clip itself, but here’s the next best thing.
Wolf chasing a caribou. I think this might have been from the very first episode of Planet Earth, and the way it was filmed without disturbing the wildlife, the ease that the camera follows them, the beauty and scale the new technology allowed instantly upped the ante in terms of wildlife filming. It was stunning and utterly gripping. Watch the caribou’s sad, unavoidable fate.
And lastly, two scenes I only saw a couple of months ago from a recent program, Attenborough’s Egg Hunt:
Connect to Conserve. World’s smallest lemur he manages to convey the difficulties of species protection in just three minutes, showing how far conservation has come since the days of trying to protect a single species and failing to understand the complexity of ecosystems.
Indri Encounter. In this charming clip he gets to fulfill a life-long ambition that he failed to do when he was first in Madagascar 50 years ago. Very touching.
Day be day my habbit of watching wild animal and biodiversity increased , and i spent my every free time with this kind specific channels , which are only focused to provide details about this beautiful creatures.
Channels like bbc earth, national geographic, wild and discovery entertain you in new way where you are getting knowledge for your every second. So no doubt this is good way to utilize your time in productive way.
Because mom says me that, ” knowledge never wasted, and every single knowledgeable thing become useful at some stage of your life”. And i personally believe it .
Yesterday i have watched a series on “BBC Earth” that is focused on extinction of animal and biodiversity, and it really changed my opinion perspective towards life and specially towards human beings.
Extinction: The Facts is a 2020 documentary film by the natural historian David Attenborough which aired on the BBC. It depicts the continuing sixth mass extinction, caused by humans, and the consequences of biodiversity loss and climate change.
facts we learned by watching Extinction: The Facts, presented by Sir David Attenborough
I never seen this person earlier , but i personally become fan of him, or i would like to mention here there i definitely want to join there team, team which specifically focused that how we can make this earth safer and better place for each and everyone. Not only for future human generation but for our wild life too.
This weekend show become my favorite and i want everyone to pay attention on this must and priority show , with what has been heralded as a landmark . Extinction: The Facts presented by Sir David Attenborough, did not mince its words, offering a very real, often terrifying look at the state of our planet today.
As its name suggests, the hour-long film addressed the questions of why one million out of the eight million species on earth are now threatened with extinction (spoiler: it’s because of the actions of one species – humans); and what that means for the planet today and in the future.
Having watched the program , I encourage you to do the same . No doubt the film will eventually be available overseas, although I have not been able to confirm that as yet. So in the meantime, if you’d like to get the low-down on what has been called a ‘surprisingly radical‘ documentary, or if you just like spoilers, we’ve curated some of the most eye-opening facts and quotes from the program right here.
And if the realities of the damage already done to the biodiversity of the planet makes you want to take action, we’ve included some suggestions on the simple steps we can all take to help protect the planet and the species on it, at the end of the article.
1. This is not a future crisis. It’s happening now.
Species of plants and animals are already going extinct, because of what humans are doing to the planet. Since 1500, 570 plant species and 700 animal species have gone extinct. Now, one million species out of eight million species on earth are threatened with extinction. The biggest issue is the rate of extinction. While the disappearance of species from Earth is ongoing and rates of extinction have varied over time; historically, extinction has happened over millions of years, but now, it’s happening over tens of years. In fact, it’s happening 100x faster than the natural evolutionary rate, and it’s accelerating.
2. Extinction is happening everywhere. And to everything. And it has a huge ripple effect.
From the Amazon, to Africa, to the Arctic, we are losing species of insects, mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and more. And the consequences of these losses has a massive ripple effect. When you look at biodiversity, ecosystems, food chains – everything is interconnected. When you remove or damage one part of that well-oiled machine, the rest of it malfunctions. When it comes to the biodiversity machine, all parts, from the tiniest ant, to the tallest tree, to the largest whale, to the tallest branch, they are all necessary for it – and the planet, and us humans – to survive.
For example, at least 10% of insect species are at risk of extinction. The ripple effect from that loss will impact on the food chain for hundreds of thousands of other species that rely on insects to survive, as well as the loss of pollinators to ensure crops can grow. A 10% loss of insect species will effect three quarters of the world’s food crops.
Under the ground, 30% of lands globally have been degraded, which means a loss of diversity in the soil – the consequences of while could be catastrophic, as it means food production is already being impacted.
25% of our plant species are at risk of extinction. That impacts the air we breathe. the level of co2 in the air, how clean our water is. Trees are vital to intercept rainfall and hold the ground together with their roots. Where we lose trees, we gain landslides.
3. There are eight million species on planet earth, but only one species is responsible for the extinction of others: humans.
There are many ways we humans royally mess up our own home:
Poaching. Any animal, it seems, can be bought for the right price. From rhinos, to pangolins, they are purchased as status symbols or for fantasy medical purposes.
Over-fishing. At any one time, 100,000 trawlers are operating in our seas. The seas have been decimated of fish. Losing the smaller species of fish, like cod, has a ripple effect to the larger fish and sea animals that prey on them and depend on them for survival.
Consumerism. Although population growth does have some impact on biodiversity, it is the demand for consumption that has a greater effect on the planet. The world’s developing countries have a higher population growth; but it is the developed countries, which have a lower population growth, but a higher demand for consumption, that are putting a strain on nature’s resources. Many of the products we use are produced in an unsustainable way and in places that don’t have the same environmental laws and regulations that a country such as the UK has.
Climate Change. This will be the biggest threat faced by species. The Paris Agreement states that all governments should try and limit climate change to no more than 2’C. All calculations show we’re on track for a 3-4 degree rise in temperatures. Increasing temperatures force some species to move to cooler locations. Eventually, they run out of places to go.
Destruction of habitats. 90% of the wetlands around the world have already been lost. 75% of land that is not covered by ice has already been converted. Mostly to feed one species – humans, and often humans from the other side of the world to where the clearance has happened. We are unwittingly supermarket-shopping our way into disaster, with cheap food and access year-round to a variety of food (rather than seasonal, locally grown produce). Research shows the main drivers of biodiversity loss are soy (the majority of which goes into animal feed, particularly chicken feed), cocoa, coffee, palm oil and beef. Livestock accounts for 60% of the total mammals on earth, humans 36% and wild animals just 4%.
Humans are behind every single pandemic, so stop blaming the bats. It is human impact on the environment that drives emerging diseases. Not just wildlife trade and animal markets – which are an ideal environment for viruses to spread, due to the density of highly-stressed animals in proximity to people (when stressed, animals shed viruses at a higher rate); but also because of our daily intrusion into wildlife habitat. Forests have thousands of viruses that we haven’t come into contact with yet. Deforestation and construction that encroaches into those forests exposes humans to those viruses. And before you know it, we’re in another pandemic. In fact, according to the documentary, it is estimated that there will be five new emerging diseases affecting people every year.
Ok, I’m angry, sad, terrified and feeling helpless. Is there anything I/we can do to help save the planet and prevent species extinction?
Extinction: The Facts gives examples of where change has happened in the past, with positive outcomes: like the replacement of CFCs in aerosols and refrigerators, with an alternative that didn’t create a hole in the ozone layer in 1996; or how governments in three East African countries collaborated with conservation organizations and local communities to save the mountain gorilla, which only a few decades ago was on the brink of extinction.
The documentary identified a number of changes that need to be made, and we have added to those the actions individuals can take towards each one below.
1. Reset the way we run our economies. We’re coming out of a global pandemic and into a global recession. But research has shown that investment in projects that are good for the environment, can also provide a strong way out of the depression with quick, labor-intensive actions that have powerful and positive economic outcomes.
The Puma Cat (Puma concolor) is a large, graceful cat belonging to the Felidae family. Pumas are also called Cougars, Panthers and Mountain Lions. Pumas are solitary cats and have the largest ranges of all wild terrestrial mammals in the Western Hemisphere. Their range extends from Yukon, Canada to the Southern Andes in South America.
Although Pumas are large cats, they are not classed in the ‘big cat’ category. Instead, they are one of the largest cats of the ‘small cat’ category even though some can match the size of a leopard.
PUMA CAT DESCRIPTION
The Puma Cat is the fourth heaviest of the New World cats after the lion, leopard, jaguar and tiger. Adult Pumas are slender and agile cats who measure 2.4 metres (8 feet) in length from nose to tail (tail length is 80 centimetres (33 inches). They stand between 60 – 76 centimetres (2 – 2.5 feet) tall at the shoulder and weigh around 53 – 72 kilograms (115 – 160 pounds) in males and 34 – 48 kilograms (75 – 105 pounds) in females.
Pumas have a plain coloured fur ranging from tawny to silver grey or reddish brown. Pumas have lighter patches on their underparts including the jaws, chin and throat. Pumas have round heads and upright ears.
Their front legs are larger than their hind legs and adapted for grasping prey. There are 5 retractable claws on their forepaws plus one dew claw and 4 on the back paws. Pumas have muscular necks and strong jaws. Pumas have acute hearing and excellent vision which makes them formidable hunters.
The name of a male is referred to simply as a ‘Puma’, the female is referred to as a ‘she-Puma’ and the young are called ‘cubs’.
PUMA HABITAT
The Puma has an extensive habitat range. It prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking, but it can also live in open plains, coniferous and tropical forests, swamps and deserts.
PUMA CAT DIET
The Puma is a carnivorous stalker and ambush predator and pursues a wide variety of prey. Their main diet is ungulates such as deer, horses, elk, cattle and sheep. Basically, the puma will eat any animal it can catch, even animals as large as a moose.
Pumas will stalk their prey through bushes and trees and across rock ledges before powerfully leaping onto the back of their victim and delivering a suffocating neck bite. The pumas agile spine is adapted for this killing technique.
When large prey are killed, the puma is known to cover them with bush and return to feed over a period of days. They subsidies their diets with large insects and small rodents.
PUMA CAT BEHAVIOUR
Puma Cats are territorial animals and territories depend on terrain, vegetation and the abundance of prey. Pumas are reclusive and will avoid areas where there are human settlements. Female territories are usually half the size of male territories which can measure between 58 to 386 square miles.
Females mark their territories using scrape mark, urine and faeces which are also used to attract mates. Males may scrape together a small pile of leaves and grasses and then urinate on it as a way of marking their territory.
Groups of pumas will only contain mothers and their young. Adult pumas only meet for breeding. Pumas are crepuscular and are most active at dawn and dusk.
Pumas are vocal cats and are well known for their low pitched hisses, growls, purrs and screams. As they have the largest hind legs in the cat family, pumas are able to leap very high up to 5.4 metres (18 feet). Horizontal jumps can measure between 6 and 12 metres (20 – 40 feet).
They are very fast cats and can run at speeds of 35 miles per hour, although it is best adapted for short, sharp, powerful sprints. Pumas are good climbers and are capable of swimming.
PUMA REPRODUCTION
Female pumas reach sexual maturity between 1 – 3 years. One litter of cubs is born every 2 – 3 years. Females are in estrous for 8 days of a 23 day cycle. After a gestation period of 91 days, a litter of 1 – 6 cubs are born.
Maternal dens are usually caves or other covered areas offering protection for the cubs. Cubs are spotted and born with blue eyes and rings on their tails. Cubs are weaned around 3 months after birth and as they develop they accompany their mother to kill sites.
At 6 months old, cubs hunt for small prey of the own. Female pumas will guard her cubs fiercely and successfully fight off animals as large as Grizzly Bears. Cubs will leave their mother to establish their own territory at around 2 years old. The life span of a puma cat in the wild is between 8 – 13 years and 18 – 19 years in captivity.
PUMA CONSERVATION STATUS
Pumas are classed a ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN. The total breeding population of pumas is less than 50,000 individuals and continues to decline. Pumas have no particular threats from other animals besides humans, although it interacts with other large predators such as the Brown Bear and Grey Wolf in which it competes for prey.
In some parts it may have to compete with the Jaguar and the American Alligator. When the puma cat and jaguars range overlaps, jaguars will dominate the larger prey and the puma will take the smaller prey.
As of 1996, puma cat hunting was prohibited in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela, and Uruguay. Cougars are generally hunted with packs of dogs, until the animal is ‘treed’. When the hunter arrives on the scene, he shoots the cat from the tree at close range.
The Cougar cannot be legally killed in California except under very specific circumstances, such as when an individual is declared a public safety threat.
However statistics from the Department of Fish and Game indicate that cougar killings in California have been on the rise since 1970s with an average of over 112 cats killed per year from 2000 to 2006 compared to 6 per year in the 1970s.
In the dependable words of Charles Darwin, Patagonia’s favourite camelid can be summarised as, “an elegant animal, with a long, slender neck and fine legs”. But we think there is so much more behind those beautifully soulful, long-lashed eyes than that bare, if rather flattering, description! Take a trip down south in Chile and the sight of many a graceful, grazing guanaco awaits on the horizon…
three chamber stomachguanaco, (Lama guanicoe), South American member of the camel family (Camelidae, order Artiodactyla) that is closely related to the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), alpaca (V. pacos), and llama (Lama glama), which are known collectively as lamoids.
You can also spot guanacos in southern Peru, western Bolivia, Tierra del Fuego, Navarino Island, and some even found their way to the Falkland Islands, where they were introduced from Argentina in the 1930s. A pale fawn colour, with a snowy white underside, guanacos have adapted to all sorts of extreme, sometimes harsh, conditions. From the intensely arid environment of the Atacama Desert, to the often rainy and wind-buffeted Torres del Paine National Park, guanacos are masters of survival.
The adults stand about 110 cm (43 inches) at the shoulder and weigh about 90 kg (200 pounds). Both sexes are coloured pale brown above and white below and have a grayish head.
1. A Socialize Animal
Guanacos are garrulous folk, living in herds usually composed of up to ten females, their young, and one dominant male. Baby guanacos are adorably known as chulengos, and the little four-legged ones can walk competently only five minutes after birth. Female guanacos have a lengthy eleven-and-a-half month gestation period, after which a single chulengo is born between the South American summer months of December and March. The apron strings are cut abruptly for male chulengos, who are chased away from the herd after one year spent with their mother. Following a brief period of bachelorhood, however, they eventually form their own herds. It is a tough world out there for a chulengo, and only 30% of the babies live to adulthood, due to various factors including disease and harsh weather conditions.
2. Famous Relatives
Guanacos are related to camels (though they lack the distinctive hump!), as well as to vicuñas, alpacas, and llamas. These last two are domesticated South American camelids, and the guanaco is believed to be the ancestor of the llama. Owing to their calm, docile nature, it was easy for humans to tame and train the wild guanacos, who eventually became the llamas we know and love today.
3. Danger
Guanacos have one natural predator: the puma. When threatened, they alert the rest of the herd to the imminent danger with a high-pitched bleating sound, which some say sounds similar to a short, sharp laugh. Although habitually mild-mannered, if forced into a corner, guanacos can also spit up to a distance of six feet. Though once widely hunted for their soft, thick, woolly coat, they are now protected against hunting, although sadly it continues illegally nevertheless.
4. They are Well-adapted to Their Environment
Guanacos have developed some smart adaptations to make their lives just that little bit easier. Their necks have thicker skin for protection against predators, whilst their soft and sensitive lips help them to rootle amongst thorny undergrowth and identify tasty tidbits. They also have a nifty, split upper lip which helps them guide food into their mouths. Like camels, guanacos can retain and store moisture from plants, enabling them to survive even harsh and dry climates.
What’s more, guanacos are ruminants with a three chamber stomach. The food goes through the first stomach, only to be regurgitated and swallowed again, meaning that they can extract all the essential nutrients possible out of whatever they are munching. Two padded toes on each foot help the guanaco to navigate gravelly paths and slopes, and thick, long eyelashes not only keep a guanaco gorgeous, but also protect their eyes from the dust kicked up by fellow guanacos and swept through the air by the high winds of the Patagonian steppe.
5. Big Hearts
Guanacos have been found living up to 4,000 metres above sea level. In order to survive at such a low oxygen level, guanaco blood has four times the number of red blood cells that we humans have! One teaspoon contains roughly 68 million red blood cells. Guanaco’s are big-hearted in more than just their gentle temperament too – their hearts are 15% larger than those of the average mammal their size.
From the tiny Rusty-spotted cat of Sri Lanka to the massive Siberian tiger of the Russian Far East, there are various species of wild cats in the world, and each of them is as beautiful as it is unique.
Most of us know lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards, but what are all the other types of wild cats out there? If you consider yourself a cat person or simply curious about these charismatic animals, read on to meet the family.
A few months ago, I set myself on an ambitious quest – to see all wild cat species in their natural habitat. This quest is likely to take a lifetime specially when you are doing online search– some wild cat species are so elusive that they are hardly ever seen. So far, I have managed to track down from various online details on internet, 17 cat species. Below I offer tips on the best tours and destinations for anyone wishing to follow in my footsteps of watching wild cats in their element.
How many species of wild cats are there?
While the total number of recognized species of wild cats varies, the eight lineages that make up the Felidae family are widely accepted. As of November 2017, the Cat Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recognizes 41 species in the family Felidae (including the domestic cat).
The family Felidae is made up of two subfamilies: Pantherine that constitutes the 7 big cats, and Felidae that represents the 33 small cats.
What are the 7 Big cats?
The 7 Big cats are the large-bodied felids that belong to the subfamily Pantherine. They are: lion, tiger, jaguar, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard, Sunda clouded leopard
What is the rarest wild cat?
It is difficult to be certain which is the rarest wild cat on Earth because we simply don’t know enough about the populations of some of the rarest felids. The Amur leopard is certainly one of the rarest cats with no more than 90 individuals surviving in the wild in the Russian Far East.
What are the most endangered wild cat species?
At the species level, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species lists five endangered felids: tiger, Iberian lynx, Borneo bay cat, fishing cat and the flat-headed cat.
Here is the breakdown of wild cats lower classification, including the list of some of wild cat species .
Tiger (Panthera tigris)
IUCN Status: Endangered
At 320 kg, the Siberian tiger is the biggest cat in the world. Sadly, the tiger is also the most endangered big cat. As recent as the first half of the last century, there were tigers living in Turkey and on the Indonesian islands of Bali and Java. These three subspecies are now extinct. The South China tiger has already crossed the point of no return with an estimated 20 individuals left in the wild. The remaining five subspecies are in various stages of decline.
We almost lost the Siberian tiger as well, but thankfully, in the last few decades, intensive conservation measures have been applied in the Russian Far-east and the king of Siberian taiga was brought back from the brink of extinction.
Today, most of the remaining tigers belong to the Bengal subspecies that occur throughout the Indian subcontinent. Not surprisingly, India is the best place in the world to see tigers in the wild. Some of the best National Parks in India for spotting tigers in the wild are Kanha and Bandhavgarh in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Lion (Panthera leo)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
The second-largest cat in the world, the lion, once ranged across most of Africa and parts of Europe and Asia. Today the population is restricted to fragmented populations in Sub-Saharan Africa and one Critically Endangered population in India. We have already lost the Barbary lion that used to grace the wilds of Egypt, Morocco and Algeria.
Traditionally there were two types of lions: the African lion and the Asiatic lion. But the recent genetic analysis revealed that Asiatic lions belong to the same subspecies as the Northern lion which also includes the Critically Endangered West African lion and the Central African lion. The Southern African and the East African lion form the second subspecies.
You can spot the Southern and East African lions on most classical African safaris. The Northern lion is harder to track. You can try your luck in the National Parks of Western and Central Africa. The only place to see the Asiatic lion is the Gir National Park in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Leopard (Panthera pardus)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
The leopard caught the experts by surprise. Of all types of big cats, it has the widest distribution range, occurring from sub-Saharan Africa, through Central Asia, across the Indian subcontinent to Southeast Asia. And while some subspecies of the leopard are highly endangered, the species was considered reasonably secure. Until the experts realized that the leopards have lost 75 per cent of their historic range and the population continues to decline.
The two hotspots for the leopards are parts of Africa and Sri Lanka. In Africa, you are likely to spot leopards in Kruger NP, Serengeti NP, Chobe NP, Ngorongoro Crater NP and most other National Parks in southern and eastern Africa.
If you are heading to Sri Lanka, try to avoid Yala National Park, it has become disappointingly overcrowded, which affects animal welfare. Instead, go leopard spotting at Udawalawe National Park.
For the more adventurous types, there is an option to travel to the Russian Far-east with the local Bohai tour in search of the Critically Endangered Amur leopard – the rarest type of big cat in the world. Although their numbers have been slowly rising from about 35 individuals in the 1980s to over 100 individuals in 2017.
Jaguar (Panthera onca)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
The jaguar is the most water-loving big cat. It is an excellent swimmer and can often be found resting on tree branches overhanging the rivers. It also has the strongest bite in relation to body size among big cats. Its powerful jaws are capable of crushing the skull of an adult caiman – its favourite prey in the Pantanal.
The jaguars are unique among big cat species in that all across their 6-million sq. kilometre range, which spans 18 countries, they represent a single continuous population. There are no subspecies of jaguars. Taxonomically, it is the same cat that occurs over a very large range.
This poses unique challenges for the conservation of jaguars. Instead of protecting geographically isolated populations, the scientists now work to protect the connecting corridors of habitat that allow the jaguars to move between populations and maintain gene flow between these populations.
In late 2018, the United Nations Development Programme, initiated a jaguar conservation program Jaguar 2030, that aims to protect the jaguars across their entire geographic range.
The two strongholds for the jaguar are the Amazon and the Pantanal in Brazil. But the Pantanal is a far better place for spotting the jaguar, especially around Porto Jofre – a small community on the bank of the Cuiaba River
Snow leopard (Panthera uncia)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
The most enigmatic of the big cats, the snow leopard is often referred to as the Ghost of the Mountains. There is even a saying in Nepal that it is more difficult to see a snow leopard than to see God. This elusive cat lives in one of the most inhospitable environments on earth – the high altitude moutan ranges of Central Asia, and each individual ranges over huge territories.
Because the snow leopard has a wide distribution range, it was downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable by the IUCN in 2017. However, the Snow Leopard Trust disputed the decision on the basis of a lack of scientific data to support it. The experts estimate that there are between 3,920 and 6,390 snow leopards left in the wild.
Despite the Nepalese saying, the snow leopards are regularly seen at Hemis National Park in India. It is not an adventure for the faint-hearted though. It involves camping in -20 degrees cold and scanning the mountain valleys for hours on end looking for the elusive cat. The snow leopard’s coat of grey fur with black blotches allows it to merge so seamlessly with the environment that you could be staring right at it, yet not see it.
Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
The smallest of the big cat species, the clouded leopard is also the most acrobatic. It is one of the best climbers in the entire wild cat family. Its flexible ankle joints allow it to climb down trees head-first, hang off branches by its hind feet and tail and even climb on horizontal branches with its back to the ground.
Yet the climbing skills are not clouded leopard’s only talent. They are the only big cats that can purr and they have the longest canines, relative to body size, among big cats. Sometimes, they are referred to as the “modern-day sabre-tooth”.
Like all other big cats, the clouded leopard is threatened with extinction. The total population is thought to number fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, with a decreasing trend. However, due to their secretive nature, the clouded leopards have not been studied well and remain poorly understood. As in the case of the snow leopard, the population could be smaller than the current estimate.
Although the clouded leopard ranges from the Himalayan foothills all the way across Southeast Asia, it is incredibly difficult to spot in the wild. Occasionally they are spotted on wildlife safaris in India.
Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Until 2016, the clouded leopard was believed to be a single species. However, the use of genetic analysis techniques revealed that the clouded leopards from the islands of Borneo and Sumatra are in fact a separate species, that have diverged from their mainland cousins about 1.5 million years ago.
Known as the Sunda clouded leopards, the island species are a little smaller and darker than the mainland clouded leopards. Up until recently, it was just as nearly impossible to see a Sunda clouded leopard, as the mainland one.
But over the last few years, Deramakot Forest Reserve in the Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo has been gaining the reputation as the go-to place for spotting these elusive felines. There are of course no guarantees, but if you’d like a shot at seeing a Sunda clouded leopard, Deramakot is your best bet
Small Cat Species
While not as well-known as their larger cousins, the majority of wild cats are small cats. They occur on all continents except Antarctica and Australia, although Australia has a large population of feral cats, which are the descendants of the domestic cats that arrived in Australia with the European settlers.
Bay cat or Pardofelis Lineage
The second lineage to diverge from the common ancestor, the Bay cat lineage contains three wild cat species all occurring in the South East Asian region. This lineage represents some of the rarest Asian wild cats.
Borneo Bay Cat (Catopuma badia)
IUCN Status: Endangered
The endangered Borneo Bay cat is the holy grail of the wild cat world. It occurs only on the island of Borneo and it is as mysterious to science as it was first described in 1874. These cats are so secretive that virtually nothing is known about them and they are almost never seen in the wild.
It appears that, unlike clouded leopards, marbled cats and leopard cats that also occur in Borneo, bay cat avoids travelling along the forest trails, which makes it very difficult to know where to set up camera traps. And of course, it makes it exceptionally difficult to spot the bay cat in the wild. You simply don’t know where to look.
Asiatic Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
Another rarely seen cat, the Asiatic Golden cat has a wide, but patchy distribution from India to Malaysia. It is present on the island of Sumatra but does not occur on any other Indonesian islands.
Asiatic golden cat prefers forested habitat and appears to be most active around dawn and dusk and during the daylight hours. They are good enough climbers but spend most of their time on the ground where they can bring down prey many times their own size, like young water buffalo calves.
Marbled Cat (Pardofelis marmorata)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
Marbled cat is one of the most good-looking small cats, with its exceptionally long tail and beautifully patterned coat. This species ranges from the Himalayan foothills to Malaysia, and on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. It is an excellent climber and thought to spend most of its life in the trees.
Caracal Lineage
The third oldest lineage, the Caracal lineage contains three medium-sized species that mostly occur in Africa.
Serval (Leptailurus serval)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Serval is an unusual-looking cat with very long legs, large ears and a short tail. All these adaptations are necessary for locating prey in the tall grass where it lives. It is widespread in Southern Africa, but rare in the north of the continent. This incredible feline is capable of leaping up to 3.6m to land precisely on its prey, even with its eyes closed.
While considered unusual, Serval occurs in high numbers in Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. Surprisingly, a good place to see Servals is in the small town of Secunda in South Africa, home to the world’s largest coal liquefaction plant. The high density of Serval in such a seemingly inhospitable habitat is thought to be due to the abundance of prey, like the vlei rats and the absence of other big carnivores.
African Golden cat (Caracal aurata)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
One of the rarest species of wild cats, and the rarest wild cat in Africa, the African Golden cat occurs in the rainforest of West and Central Africa. Its preference for the dense tropical forest habitat makes it particularly difficult to spot in the wild.
There have been some sightings in Libongo Forest Concession in Cameroon, where the cats seem to be reasonably common along the access road.
Caracal (Caracal caracal)
IUCN Status: Least concern
Caracal is the only member of Caracal lineage with distribution extending outside of the African continent to the Middle East, Central Asia, and India. Its name comes from their jet-black ears topped with tufts – caracal means ‘black ears’ in Turkish. Another acrobat, the caracal is capable of leaping 3 meters into the air and taking out several birds with one swipe.
While secretive and difficult to observe, caracals are often seen in South Africa’s parks and game reserves (Kgalagadi NP, West Coast NP, Mosaic Farms).
Ocelot or Leopardus Lineage
This is the most diverse lineage of wild cat species. It contains eight small spotted cats, all with Latin American distribution. This lineage is different from all others in that its members have 36 chromosomes rather than 38!
Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The ocelot occurs across South America, Central America, Mexico and Southern Texas. It is probably the most common, or rather the least uncommon of South American wild cats.
The highest density of ocelots in the world is found on Barro Colorado Island in Panama. The Transpantaneira highway in Brazil’s northern Pantanal is also a good place to look for the spotted hunter. But the best place to see them is the San Francisco Farm in the southern Pantanal.
Margay (Leopardus wiedii)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
Similar in appearance to the larger ocelot, the margay is a much more skilful climber. Unlike the ocelot, the margay spends most of its life in the trees. It is one of only three wild cat species with the flexible ankle joint that allows the cat to climb down trees head-first (the other two are the clouded leopard and the marbled cat).
Margays are capable of hunting entirely in the trees. They have been observed mimicking the alarm calls of baby pied tamarins to ambush them.
Tree-dwelling cats are typically more difficult to spot than their ground-dwelling relatives. Wildsumaco Lodge in Ecuador is reportedly a good place to look for Margay.
Colocolo (Leopardus colocolo)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
The colocolo includes small wild cats that were previously recognized as three different species: colocolo (L. colocolo), the Pantanal cat (L. braccatus), and the Pampas cat (L. pajeros). The recent revision of the Felidae family taxonomy by the Cat Specialist Group recognized colocolo or the Pampas cat a single species that ranges throughout most of Argentina and Uruguay into Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, and Ecuador.
Northern Oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
The Oncilla is similar to the ocelot and the margay, but smaller. Recently the Oncilla has been split in two separate species: Northern Oncilla and Southern Oncilla. The Northern oncilla occurs in Central America, Venezuela, Guyana and north-eastern Brazil.
A good place to look for it is Bellavista Lodge near Quito in Ecuador. They are also occasionally seen in the Brazilian Pantanal.
Southern Oncilla (Leopardus guttulus)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
The Southern oncilla occurs in central and southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Guina (Leopardus guigna)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Also known as Kodkod, the Guina is the smallest wild cat species in South America. It occurs primarily in the south and central Chile with parts of its range extending to the adjoining areas of Argentina. It is an agile climber, although it prefers to hunt on the ground, taking mainly small mammals, birds, lizards and insects.
Kodkod’s typical coat is brownish-yellow to grey-brown with dark spots, but the melanistic (black) morphs are also quite common.
A good place to look for guiña in the wild, including the unusual melanistic individuals, is Chiloe Island in Chile.
Geoffroy’s cat (Leopardus geoffroyi)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Similar in appearance to Guina but larger, the Geoffroy’s cat has a wider distribution from Southern Bolivia to the Straits of Magellan. This is the only species of wild cats that have the habit of standing upright, using their tails for balance to scan their surroundings.
Its preference for dense habitat makes Geoffroy’s cat difficult to spot. Like guina, Geoffroy’s cat’s coat is usually tawny with black spots, although black morphs are also not uncommon. A good place to look for it is El Palmar National Park in Argentina. I visited El Palmar during the unusually rainy weather in early September, and it took me three nights to spot a single cat, a cute black morph.
You may also like this post about finding a black Geoffroy’s cat in El Palmar, Argentina
Andean Cat (Leopardus jacobita)
IUCN Status: Endangered
One of the world’s rarest cats, the endangered Andean cat occurs only at high elevations in the Andes in Southern Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru. Just like its bigger high altitude dwelling relative, the snow leopard, the Andean mountain cat is one of the most rarely seen wild cats in the world. It prefers the steep, arid, sparsely vegetated and rocky terrain where it hunts mountain viscachas.
Lauca National Park and Salar de Surire National Monument in Chile have been suggested as good areas to look for the Andean cat.
Lynx Lineage
The Lynx lineage contains four separate species that are all quite similar in appearance. All four species have short tails and tufted ears.
Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The most northern member of the lynx lineage, the Canada lynx ranges across Alaska, Canada and the Northern United States. Its most distinguishing feature is the massive paws covered in thick fur. The large paws serve the purpose of snowshoes, allowing the Canada lynx to travel over snow-covered landscapes without sinking into the snow.
Lake Superior in Minnesota is reportedly a good place to spot the Canada lynx.
Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus)
IUCN Status: Endangered
The world came dangerously close to losing the Iberian lynx. Fewer than a hundred cats remained scattered throughout the isolated patches of the Mediterranean scrubland in Spain by 2002. By the time the scientists realized how perilous the lynx situation was, it was almost too late to save it. Fortunately, the Iberian lynx responded well to breeding in captivity. Since 2010 more than 170 lynxes were reintroduced into the wild as part of the Save the Lynx project.
Since then the population has increased to just over 400 cats and the Iberian Lynx IUCN status was downgraded from Critically Endangered to Endangered. Today Iberian lynx occurs in a handful of areas in southern Spain, with the best place for spotting it being Sierra de Andujar National Park. Many wildlife watching tour agencies offer specialized Iberian Lynx tours.
Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The Eurasian lynx is the largest member of the Lynx genus and has the widest distribution. It ranges across Siberia, Asia and Eastern Europe. While not threatened, the Eurasian lynx is a tricky cat to spot in the wild.
There are no specific, reliable places for seeing the Eurasian lynx in the wild, but occasionally they are seen on Snow leopard trips in Hemis National Park in India.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Similar in appearance to Canada lynx, Bobcat ranges from southern Canada to central Mexico. It is smaller than the Canada lynx and grows to about twice the size of a domestic cat. The cat’s name comes from its stubby (or “bobbed”) tail. Like all lynxes, the bobcat is a rabbit specialist, however, it would also take insects, chickens and other birds, rodents and even deer.
Generally, the bobcat is a common species and a good place to see them is Point Reyes Natural Seashore near San Francisco.
Puma Lineage
The Puma lineage contains the most unusual mix of feline species: one typical small cat and two oversized small cats.
Puma (Puma concolor)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
While the Puma is quite a large cat, it does not belong to the Big cat family, and therefore it is a small cat. Often referred to as cougar or mountain lion, puma ranges across South America, Mexico, the United States and parts of Southern Canada.
The best place to see a puma is Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. Although, I saw a puma with two sub-adult cubs in the aptly named Puma Valley in Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica.
You may also like this post about spotting pumas in Corcovado, Costa Rica
Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Cheetah is the fastest species of wild cats and the fastest animal on earth. It can go from 0 to 96km/h in just three seconds. Not only is it fast, but it is also quite nimble at high speed and can make sudden turns in pursuit of prey. Cheetah is also well adapted to life in the African heat – it only needs to drink once in four days.
Cheetah occurs in Southern, North and East Africa, and a few localities in Iran. The Iranian population, known as Asiatic or Persian cheetah is listed as Critically Endangered with fewer than 50 individuals remaining scattered across the vast 140,000 km2 plateau.
Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
With its short legs and long body, the jaguarundi is one of the oddest-looking cats. Its unspotted colouration is similar to the puma, it’s closest relative but different to all other South American cats. It occurs in southern North America and South America.
While not considered a threatened species, the jaguarundi is not easy to spot in the wild. Most sightings of this species happen in South America, but they are generally accidental. Most sightings happen in daylight.
Leopard Cat or Prionailurus Lineage
This is another lineage containing many (six) small wild cats. The species in this lineage all have Asian distribution.
Pallas’s cat (Otocolobus manul)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
Also known as Manul, the Pallas’s cat has the longest and thickest fur of any cat species. The reason it needs such a luxurious coat is its habitat preference for the windswept landscapes of rocky slopes in Central Asia. The rocky habitat provides the cat with shelter in caves, rock crevices or even marmot burrows. Pallas’s cat’s preferred prey are pikas and voles, though they occasionally take birds as well.
Pallas’s cats are not good runners. Instead, they rely on their ability to remain undetected. When disturbed it would often freeze and become virtually invisible against the grey rocky landscape.
One of the best places to see the Pallas’s cat is on Ruoergai grassland on the Tibetan Plateau in the northern tip of China’s Sichuan province.
Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus)
IUCN Status: Near Threatened
The smallest wild cat in the world, the Rusty-spotted cat is native to the deciduous forests of India and Sri Lanka. It grows to all of 1.6kg in weight and 48 centimetres in length. But what it may lack in stature, it makes up for with a daring attitude. It is equally at home in the trees and on the ground, where it catches its prey (mostly rodents and small birds) using rapid, darting movements.
Sri Lanka’s Wilpattu National Park is one of the best places to see the rusty-spotted cat in the wild.
Flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps)
IUCN Status: Endangered
The Flat-headed cat is an endangered small cat that occurs on the Thai-Malay Peninsula and the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. This unusual feline leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle living on riverbanks and hunting aquatic vertebrates. It is an excellent swimmer and has fascinating adaptations to hunting in the water. Its claws do not fully retract to give it more grip on the slippery river banks. Its feet are semi-webbed, which is useful for wading in the water. And its long and sharp canine teeth are excellent aids for grabbing hold of slippery aquatic prey.
These unusual cats are threatened by the increasing destruction of riverine forest habitats as more and more land is converted for oil palm plantations, human settlement and agriculture.
The only reliable place to see it is the lower Kinabatangan River in Borneo, near the village of Sukau.
Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
IUCN Status: Endangered
Unusual among cats, the Fishing cats are not only unafraid of water, but they depend on it for food, much like the Flat-headed cat. Both species hunt fish and small aquatic vertebrates.
The Fishing cat has a wider distribution range across South and South East Asia. The best place to look for the Fishing cat is in Sri Lanka, around Sigiriya and on the outskirts of Yala National Park (the park itself is inaccessible after dark).
Mainland Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The most widespread of all Asian small cats, the leopard cat ranges across South, Southeast and East Asia. This species is reasonably tolerant of human disturbance and can often be found in rural areas and even among oil palm plantations.
Sunda Leopard cat (Prionailurus javanensis)
In 2017, the Sunda leopard cat, occurring on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra was separated from the mainland leopard cat on the basis of genetic analysis.
You may also like this post about spotting Sunda leopard cats in Borneo
Felis Lineage
The last lineage to diverge from the common ancestor and therefore the youngest branch. The six small wild cats in this lineage are all closely related and distributed in Africa and Eurasia.
Jungle cat (Felis chaus)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The Jungle cat, also known as a swamp cat is a medium-sized cat occurring from the Middle East, to South and Southeast Asia and southern China. Jungle cats are typically diurnal hunting thought the day.
Black-footed cat (Felis nigripes)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Africa’s smallest wild cat, the black-footed cat is the second smallest wild cat in the world, after the rusty-spotted cat. It is an excellent hunter, with an astonishing appetite – it can consume up to 3,000 rodents a year. Nicknamed the anthill tiger, it lives in abandoned termite mounds and wanders the surrounding savannah in search of rodents.
The Black-footed cat has a narrow distribution range in the southern part of Southern Africa. Marrick Farm Safari in South Africa is the best place to look for this species.
Sand cat (Felis margarita)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The true desert dweller, the sand cat occurs in the deserts of North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. While not threatened, this species is not very easy to see in the wild.
The sand cat has an incredibly dense coat that protects it from the chill of desert nights. The strands of thick black fur on the soles of its feet protect it against the opposite extreme – the burning-hot sand.
Most sightings of Sand cats come from Western Sahara and Jebil National Park in Southern Tunisia.
Chinese Mountain cat (Felis bieti)
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
One of the least known and the most rarely seen wild cats, the Chinese mountain cat was not even photographed in the wild until about a decade ago. It has a narrow distribution in Western China.
I saw the Chinese Mountain cat on Ruoergai grassland on the Tibetan Plateau. In four nights on the plateau, I saw the cats on three separate occasions, so it is certainly a good spot.
You may also like this post about finding Chinese Mountain cats on the Tibetan Plateau
African and Asiatic wildcat (Felis lybica)
After some recent taxonomic changes, the wildcat species have been separated into the African and Asiatic wildcat, and the European wildcat. I saw the African wild cat at Kapama Reserve, near Kruger National Park in South Africa. Kafue National Park in Zambia has been suggested as a good spot for the wildcat.
You may also like this post about spotting African wildcat at Kapama Reserve, South Africa
European wildcat (Felis silvestris)
IUCN Status: Least Concern
The European wildcat has a patchy distribution in the forests of Western, Southern, Central and Eastern Europe up to the Caucasus Mountains. A good place to look for the European Wildcat is in Cordillera Cantabrica in northern Spain, in the area around Boca de Huergano.
How many species of wild cats are threatened with extinction?
Wild cats face a number of anthropogenic threats such as habitat loss and fragmentation, loss of prey species and persecution by people as a result or real or perceived risks the cats pose to human livelihoods. As a result, 25 species of wild cats are currently threatened with extinction.
Five species are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened species: tiger, Borneo bay cat, Andean cat, flat-headed cat and Iberian lynx.
Thirteen more wild cat species are listed as Vulnerable: lion, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard, Sunda clouded leopard, African golden cat, northern oncilla, southern oncilla, guina, cheetah, fishing cat, black-footed cat and Chinese mountain cat.
And seven species of wild cats are listed as Near Threatened: jaguar, Asiatic golden cat, marbled cat, margay, colocolo, Pallas’s cat and rusty-spotted cat.
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Autumn 
