Sid and Louise, two gorgeous African Wildcats

 

The two (Southern) African Wildcats (Felis silvestris caffra, ‘vaalboskat’ in Afrikaans) shown in this video are Sid and Louise, and are Wild Cats World’s (www.wildcatsworld.org) ambassador wildcats.

Recognition: the African Wildcat closely resembles a domestic cat (of which is it the direct and recent ancestor), with a grey or buff ground color and warmer tints on the face, back of the ears and on the belly.

Habitat: woodlands, savannahs, grasslands and steppes.

Food: mainly rats, mice and small mammals up to the size of a hare. Birds and, less frequently, reptiles, frogs, and insects are also taken.

Status: although widespread and common (IUCN: Least Concern), the wildcat is prone to hybridising with domestics cats, and is frequently victim to dogs.

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