The African golden cat is one of the three medium-sized African cats. 1 Description 2 Habitat 3 Food 4 Behavior 5 Related The African golden cat has variable fur color, typically ranging from cinnamon or reddish-brown to grey, although melanistic forms also exist. The animals have a variety of colors. It can grow between 24-40 inches long and weighs 12 to 35 lbs. The African Golden Cat. An African golden cat photographed by Laila Bahaa-el-din. There was a time when African golden cat skins were used locally during circumcision rights or to wrap valuable objects. The African golden cat (Profelis aurata) is little known by science, but is the subject of much tribal superstition in many parts of Africa.Pygmy tribes in Cameroon carry the tail of the African golden cat when hunting elephants to ensure good fortune, and the … In rare cases, they are pure white. Temminck named a reddish brown colored skin with faint spots Felis aurata and a greyish skin Felis celidogaster that was spotted all over with dark blotches and a red tail. The African golden cat loses in battle with this larger predator. The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. The African Golden Cat has a stocky build with a short tail and the coat varies from reddish to grey. The African golden cat is a medium-sized cat with either a reddish-brown and greyish color, and more rarely black. Males often weigh 11-14 kg. One African golden cat is said to have changed color in captivity, but died soon after, with the change in hue possibly brought on by a special condition, rather than a common trait. It is a close relative of both the … The Golden Cat is a strong representative of the feline family, with short, stocky limbs adapted for hunting in trees. This is affected by its age and other factors. Aug 1, 2019 - Explore Caroline Jeffery's board "African Golden Cat", followed by 795 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about wild cats, small wild cats, big cats. See more ideas about wild cats, cat species, small wild cats. It is a robust animal and it weighs between 8 to 16 kg. This cat is closely related to the caracal.. Its fur color can change over time. It is about 80 cm (31.5 inches) long, and has a tail of about 30 cm (approximately one foot) in length. According to a recent paper published in the journal of East African Natural History by Thomas Butynski, Helen Douglas-Dufresne and Yvonne de Jong, the only currently verifiable record of the African golden cat in Kenya is a skin at the National Museums of Kenya. Select from premium African Golden Cat of the highest quality. They have two colour phases, either grey or reddish brown, and they can be either plain or have faintly spotted markings. Picture a large, muscular domestic cat – but double it in size. BODY The African Golden Cat has a stocky build with muscular legs and large paws. Although formerly present in North America, this mono-colored felid lacks conservation need in nature and competes poorly against similar-sized spotted cats of Africa. The length of the body from the nose to the base of the tail ranges from 61 to 102 cm. The relatively short tail has a dark line along the top, may have some bands and ends in a dark tip. An African golden cat is about twice the size of a large domestic cat. The geographic range of African golden cats, Profelis aurata, spans across equatorial Africa. Profelis aurata African golden cat Geographic Range. Rodents, tree hyrax, birds, etc., are the main prey of these cats. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. THE SEARCH. The sad fact is that the African golden cat is sold in a bushmeat trade. African Golden Cat has the characteristic features of a solid and strong body, has long and big legs, small head and short tail. Cats from West Africa tended to be more spotted than those from East-Central Africa. beautiful male lion in golden light in masai mara, kenya - african golden cat stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images a cheetah (acinonyx jubatus) races along with a green safari truck in the background. They have a stocky build with muscular legs, large paws and a short tail. May 25, 2020 - Explore Katie Buscher's board "African Golden Cat", followed by 173 people on Pinterest. • Early taxonomists had described the golden and grey morphs African golden cat as two species. Discover How Long African golden cat Lives. Its natural competitor in the struggle for survival is a leopard. Profelis aurata. Hunting for bushmeat and habitat loss and damage threatens the populations of this cat. Find the perfect African Golden Cat stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Like the Asian species, it's known by two scientific names. The white underbelly is consistently marked with large black spots. African Golden Cat. The African golden cat (Caracal aurata) is a medium-sized cat.This cat was previously listed as Profelis aurata.It weighs about 28 kg (62 lb) on average.The underside of its chest and chin are normally light-colored. African golden cat attacks monkey in Uganda. The African golden cat (Caracal aurata) is a rarely seen creature of the west African forest: it is widespread in western Uganda, where it has been recorded in every forested national park except Semliki National Park.. The African golden cat was first described by Temminck on the basis of mounted cats from western Africa available for sale at a London museum. It occupies the central African forests whereas the Caracal ranges over the more arid regions and Servals occur in the moister habitats. The African golden cat is a wild cat endemic to the rainforests of West and Central Africa. The African golden cat is a highly elusive creature and hence little is known about the behavior of this species. The coat can be spotted or plain. They... Habitat. The cat is about twice the size of a large domestic cat. The African golden cat, as dependant on forests, is exposed to significant territory restrictions. African golden cat (Profelis aurata). Cheetah Panthera leo melanochaita-Wikipedia The carnivores that are present include leopards, African golden cat s, servals, different mongooses and two species of otter. Photograph: Laila Bahaa-el-din Despite being poorly understood, the cats are already feared to be at risk from human development. OUR DATA: We use the most recent data from these primary sources: AnAge, UMICH, Max Planck, PanTHERIA, Arkive, UKC, AKC. It is a close relative of both the caracal and the serval, but current classification places it as the only member of the genus Profelis. The African Golden Cat (Caracal aurata) is one of the three medium sized African wild cats. Wild cats and other wildlife are naturally intrigued when they pass through camera traps' infrared sensors and trigger flashes of light and clicking noises. At 2006, in central Africa, there had been a 40% in rainforest reduction. The African golden cat Caracal aurata (hereafter referred to as ‘golden cat’) is a medium-sized felid endemic to tropical Africa, with a confirmed historic distribution from Main Characteristics: African Golden Cats are medium sized cats and they have a body length between 61 and 100 cms (24 - 39 inches), a tail length between 16 and 46 cms (6.5 - 18 inches) and they weigh between 5.5 and 16 kgs (12 - 35 lbs). Body weight varies from 3 to 18 kg. Unique among the cat species, the fur has a distinctive ridge along the shoulders where it changes direction to lie forward. Give this animal a round face, a heavy muzzle, a short tail, and small, blunt untufted ears. The African golden cat (Caracal aurata). Physical Description. The African golden cat Caracal aurata is Africa's least known felid. Firstly, the African Golden cat is a forest dwelling cat and before 2000 there had been about a 90% reduction in rainforest in West and East Africa. This cat has a coat color variations, from chocolate silver, brown to ash-gray, with white coat color in the chin, the face of the cheeks, on … No effort to import new animals into North America is supported. The African golden cat is a wild cat native to West and Central Africa. One is Caracal aurata and the other, which is less common today, is Profelis aurata. African Golden Cat - Profelis aurata 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 centimetres (31 in) long, and has a tail of about 30 centimetres (12 in) in length. 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