Wild Cat Species of Europe and Middle East

Although formally considered a continent in its own right, Europe forms part of the Eurasian land mass. For its size, being the second smallest of the continents, it has the greatest density of population. The majority of the once expansive deciduous and coniferous woodlands have been cleared and now exist to any degree of density only to the north and east of the continent. The climatic range is generally moderate - having cool winters and mild summers - and warms considerably in the south-east where it borders the Middle Eastern countries. The Middle East itself forms a climactic and cultural bridge between Europe, the continent of Africa to the south and Asia to the east.

The Eurasian or Northern lynx is generally much larger than its Canadian counterpart and in coloration and marking, more noticeably spotted - although this varies extensively with its location. The Eurasian lynx was once found in the forested areas throughout most of Europe, the Middle East and Asia. However today the range of the cat has been drastically reduced in Europe and they are only to be found in some of the northern countries, parts of Greece and Czechoslovakia. Recently the cat has been reintroduced to parts of Germany, Switzerland and Austria, where it is beginning to re-establish. In these areas though, local farmers and game hunters are suggesting that the cat is competing for farm animals and deer population. Monitoring of the lynx by conservation authorities in these areas continues to gain more information on the cats hunting behaviour and the debate, which is common in areas were the interests of wild cat populations is at odds with local inhabitants, seems set to continue.

The European or Forest Wildcat as it is often called, was once found throughout Europe and is considered by some to be the oldest form of the species - limited fossil records indicate an ancestral link to Martelli's Wildcat dating back to the Early Pleistocene period . During the past 300 years the range of the European wildcat, through pressures bought about by hunting and the spread of human population, has been significantly reduced. Today the cat is only to be found in scattered populations in parts of France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the United Kingdom, Greece, parts of Eastern Europe and countries around the Black Sea to west of the Caspian Sea - several island populations, such as those found on Sardinia, Crete and other Mediterranean islands are also recognised as part of the European group by some, whilst others maintain a closer link to the lybica group (African wildcat).

The jungle cat is found across a wide geographic area, ranging form Egypt, the Middle East, Parts of Southern Asia through to western China. In the west of its range, contrary to its name, the jungle cat is found mostly in open grasslands, and marshy ground close to rivers – here the cat is alternatively known as the Swamp Cat or Reed Cat. Further east, through into India and South East Asia, the species inhabits a greater range of habitats which, as well as marsh and swampland on forest margins, also includes tropical deciduous and evergreen forest. However, the jungle cat is not found in the denser tropical rain forests as its name might suggest. The jungle cat is not a particularly shy creature and can be often found close to human habitation, hunting in crop fields and plantations for small rodents. In India, it has been reported to inhabit disused buildings on the edge of human settlements.

The leopard is most easily recognised by its rosette patterned coat and extremely long, darker tail. This large cat is sometimes confused in appearance with the South American Jaguar - the leopard though is less stocky and unlike the jaguar, its rosette markings are generally smaller and have no internal spots. The overall size of the leopard depends very much on the subspecies and location, with the largest animals growing to a length of nearly 5 feet with an additional tail length of some 3 feet - generally the male is between 20-40% larger than the female. The base coloration of the coat also varies greatly depending upon location, ranging from golden/yellow in open grasslands, through yellow/cream in desert areas to deep gold in mountain and forest regions. All black or melanistic leopards, sometimes commonly called 'Black Panthers' (see below), are born in the same litter as normally marked cats and also carry the rosette markings, although these are masked by the darkness of the fur. It has been observed that the melantistic leopard is most generally found in the dense, wet forested areas of India and south east Asia, where the coloration advantages the cat in its hunting.

As its name implies the sand cat is commonly found in sandy desert areas in the arid countries of Northern Africa, Arabia and parts of Central Asia and Pakistan - sand cats indigenous to each of these areas are catorgorised as sub species, respectively, Felis margarita margarita (North Africa), Felis margarita harrisoni (Arabian Peninsula), Felis margarita thinobia (west of the Caspian Sea) and Felis margarita scheffeli (Pakistan). Due to its fragmented distribution across the Saharan part of its range some experts sub-catogarise the North African species of the sand cat into further distinct sub-species - Felis margarita airensis (Niger) and Felis margarita meinertzhageni (Sahara) - however due to the difficulty in obtaining accurate population figures and accurate scientific data of cats in open desert areas, exact classification is uncertain.

To some the Spanish lynx is not a valid species but a sub species of the Eurasian lynx, however they are generally smaller than their northern counterparts and their yellow/brown coat is lighter in colour and the spotted markings more noticeable. The main prey of the spanish lynx is, as with its canadian counterpart, various species of hare and rabbit, although deer and wildfowl are also taken.
Less successful than their close neighbours, the Pardel lynx, as it is sometimes known, is now threatened with extinction in its wild habitat. Hunted heavily for its coat and as a predator of livestock, the Spanish lynx is extremely rare and on the Iberian peninsular can only be found in and around the Cota Donana reserve in the south of Spain and in very isolated parts of Portugal. Although the animal is protect in the reserve it is still legal to hunt it elsewhere.

source & image:

abf90.dial.pipex.com

Wild Cat Species of Africa

Africa is the second largest continent and covers up to 22% of the worlds land mass. It is a vast plateau continent with approximately 90% of the land being no more than 500 feet above sea level, while to the north the Sahara Desert makes up almost 25% of the total area of the continent. The majority of the continent has very low rainfall, with only eastern central lands, made up extensively of equatorial rain forest, receiving high average precipitation. The huge areas of Savanna to the east and south of the African continent are home to large herds of roaming herbivores and as such provide a substantial prey source for the native carnivores, including several of the cat family.

The African Golden Cat is a medium sized cat and can grow to 90cm in body length and weigh up to 18kg. Although its name implies a golden coloured coat the golden cat is polymorphic, its base coat coloration varies extensively depending on its location. Ranging from a golden/reddish brown to slate/silver grey. A report of a golden cat in captivity even suggest that the base colour of the fur can change from one colour phase to the other over a period of time depending on the age of the cat and various environmental stimuli. The under sides of the chin, chest and abdomen are usually lighter and in some cases almost pure white - in some individuals the head and body is spotted. Its long tail, which measures up to 40cm, is marked with dark line along the top and ends in a brown or black tip. The head caries distinctive light markings around the eyes and above the mouth - the small ears are dark coloured on the rear face.

The Black-footed Cat is one of the smallest species of cat. With a shoulder height of approximately 22cm and a body length of 50cm, the average male weighs in at about 2.2kg - however the female often weighs as little as 1.5kg and as such can be classified as the smallest of all wild cats. In appearance the cat has a large broad head in proportion to its small body, its coat colour varies from light sandy brown to reddish brown and is covered with dark spotted patches which sometime coalesce into broken stripes. The legs of the black-footed are bared with dark horizontal stripes and the tail is broken with dark rings and terminates in a black tip. The pads of its feet are black and are surrounded by long black hairs which give the small felid its name as well as protecting its feet from the heat of the semi-desert habitat.

The African wildcat is divided into many regional subspecies and their number and classification varies depending on which school of thought is followed. The range of the species as a whole extends across most of the old world. From parts of North West Europe, through the Middle East, parts of Asia and generally, excluding the true dessert areas, throughout The African continent. Species can be split into three main groups - F. silvestris.silvestris the European wildcat (Silvestris Group) found mainly in forested areas of Europe - F. silvestris.lybica the African wildcat (Lybica Group), distributed in various coloured forms in most of Africa apart from the Sahara and equatorial rainforest areas and F.silvestris.ornata the Indian Desert or Steppe wildcat (Ornata Group) found in various regions of western Asia through to parts of India and Southern Asia.

The Caracal in appearance resembles the Lynx in having characteristic dark tufts on its large, pointed ears and is indeed often referred to as the African Lynx or Desert Lynx, however the caracal is not closely related to the true lynx species. Extending the visual comparison, the body of the caracal is slimmer and less stocky, its legs are thinner and its tail longer than the Lynx. It can grow up to 3 feet in body length and sport a tail about a third of its body size. Its coloration is generally yellowish brown to a darker red/brown, with the undersides of the cat, areas around the eyes and under the chin being white. The backs of its ears are black – the name Caracal is derived from the Turkish word 'karakulak', meaning 'black ear'. Melanistic or all black caracal have also been reported

The Cheetah in many ways is peculiar amongst the many cat species. In both looks and physical mobility it resembles a large muscular greyhound - its long streamlined body is carried on long, thin but powerful legs, which endow it with great speed in the chase. A fully-grown cheetah can reach speeds in excess of 60 mph and can easily outrun any animal over short distances. Its paws too, are almost dog-like, narrow and hard padded they sport only slightly retractable claws, the only of its type amongst the species of cat, and offer the cat extra grip in its high-speed pursuits. The cheetah unlike other 'Big Cats' does not roar, however it does purr and other vocal sounds range from high pitched yelps and barks to longer chirruping sounds.

The leopard is most easily recognised by its rosette patterned coat and extremely long, darker tail. This large cat is sometimes confused in appearance with the South American Jaguar - the leopard though is less stocky and unlike the jaguar, its rosette markings are generally smaller and have no internal spots. The overall size of the leopard depends very much on the subspecies and location, with the largest animals growing to a length of nearly 5 feet with an additional tail length of some 3 feet - generally the male is between 20-40% larger than the female. The base coloration of the coat also varies greatly depending upon location, ranging from golden/yellow in open grasslands, through yellow/cream in desert areas to deep gold in mountain and forest regions.

The lion stands out from the other 'big cats', not only in its distinctive appearance but also in being the only felid that lives in organised social groups. In appearance the lion is a powerfully built, muscular cat. The fur is short and generally uniform in colour, ranging from grey/buff to reddish brown in coloration with the exception of the undersides which are often white, especially in females. The back of the ears and tip of the tail are dark brown or black. However the most distinctive feature of the male lion is its mane, a ruff of thick, long fur. The colour of the mane varies from a light brown to almost black and covers the sides of the face, neck and in some animals extends to the abdomen. The adolescent male begins to grow its mane at about 18 months and it continues to grow until the cat reaches about five years of age - throughout this period it is common for the mane to darken. A fully developed male lion can grow up to 10 feet in body length and is surpassed in size only by the larger species of tiger .

As its name implies the sand cat is commonly found in sandy desert areas in the arid countries of Northern Africa, Arabia and parts of Central Asia and Pakistan - sand cats indigenous to each of these areas are catorgorised as sub species, respectively, Felis margarita margarita (North Africa), Felis margarita harrisoni (Arabian Peninsula), Felis margarita thinobia (west of the Caspian Sea) and Felis margarita scheffeli (Pakistan). Due to its fragmented distribution across the Saharan part of its range some experts sub-catogarise the North African species of the sand cat into further distinct sub-species - Felis margarita airensis (Niger) and Felis margarita meinertzhageni (Sahara) - however due to the difficulty in obtaining accurate population figures and accurate scientific data of cats in open desert areas, exact classification is uncertain.



The serval is generally found in most parts of Africa excluding the arid desert regions to the north around the Sahara, parts of the western tip of Southern Africa and certain areas of the tropical rainforest belt of Central Africa. A northern sub-species, is rarely sighted and is listed as endangered.
Approximately similar in size to the Caracal, the serval has extraordinarily long legs for its body size which can be up to 3 feet in length, whilst standing up to 20 inches in shoulder height. The base fur colour is sandy to reddish brown and is covered in dark spots which have a tendency to merge into stripes along the top of the back. noticeable regional variation in markings are shown – in West Africa the spotted markings are smaller and much less distinct and it was once believed that these cats formed a separate species, the Servaline Cat (F. servalina).

source & image:
abf90.dial.pipex.com

Black Lemur - (Eulemur macaco)

The Eulemur macaco, these shy and usually called Black Lemur, are nocturnal primates once inhabited the northwestern part of the island of Madagascar. There were taboos against killing them, but as natural forests were replaced by plantations, this protection disappeared. They were poisoned, or shot as pests. Today they are an endangered species and are confined to a small area on Madagascar and two small islands off its northwest coast. On one island they have the benefit of a reserve of natural forest. Black lemurs are legally protected and international trade is strictly controlled, but on those plantations where they flourish their capture for zoos is permitted.

The Black Lemur can only be found in the evergreen forests far up in northwest Madagascar and on the neighbouring islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba.

Like the brown lemurs they have been found to be important ecologically but in an unusual manner as pollinators. The traveller's or ravenella palm has large flowers up to 25 cm long. Black lemurs have been seen using the stems of the leaves and flower bracts as ladders to help them reach up into the flowers for the nectar.

The pollen is then transferred via their nose as they move from one bloom to another. The males are completely black, with spectacular tufts around their ears which frame the face. The females have brown/grey bodies, brown faces and white ear tufts.

They are the smallest species we have here weighing only 2.5 Kg and reaching 96cm in length from nose to tip of tail.

They live in groups with an averages size around 7 to 10 individuals, sometimes with more males than females plus a few young. The females are dominant to the males.

They usually eat flowers, leaves, ripe fruit, nectar and some insects. They are active for brief periods throughout the day and night. They are more active at night around the full moon. And for predatores they have large snakes and fossas when visiting the ground and lower levels of the trees.

source & image:

isleofwightzoo.com

nature.ca

Iberian Lynx is almost extinct!

It is not just in other parts of the world that species are almost under extinction. The danger exists in Portugal. One example is the Iberian Lynx, which has been disappearing from the Portuguese landscape in past years.
As a result of habitat loss and lack of its main prey, the European rabbit. The Iberian Lynx has an extremely fragmented distribution throughout its remaining natural range in Portugal and Spain. The Lynx population of Portugal constitutes less than 10% of the total species distribution, favouring certain highlands and some portions of the central and southern plains. Some of the Portuguese elements consist of peripheral populations travelling from western Spain. There have been reports of Lynx spoted in different regions and a remaining of individuals may still survive in their previous geographic distribution. In total, there may not be more than 50 individuals in all of Portugal. Recent population study puts the entire population between 1,000 to 1,200 Lynxes, with about half being adult individuals.
The main populations of Iberian Lynx in Portugal occur in four regions.
ALGARVE
Algarve is the most southern region of Portugal bordered by a coastline of sandy beaches and rugged cliffs meeting the sea, the Guadiana river to the east and the Espinhaço de Cão, Monchique and Caldeirão mountain ranges to the north. Occurrence of the felid has most likely been restricted during the past 40 years to the Espinhaço de Cão, Monchique and Caldeirão mountain range. Here, the Iberian Lynx occupies about 650 Km2, representing the largest area of occurrence in Portugal despite a high degree of fragmented habitat. Sections of favourable habitat are still connected by corridors and the existance of five main nuclei have been verified. It is estimated this area constitutes a declining population of about 20-25 Lynxes but there are indications of reproduction zones to the west and east. Primary threats are the lack of European rabbits, deforestation and scrub or forest fires in summer. In Portugal the Lynx is known by a different name dependent on the dialect native to the region. In the Algarve, the species was orginally called "gato-cravo", "gato-lince" and "liberne".
BARRANCOS
The lack of current information regarding this population suggests a possible decline in the area. Some Lynxes will be associated with the existing population in the disputed Forest Perimeter with Spain. This nuclei appears to be isolated from other populations in Portugal but is contiguous with the Spanish population of the Serra Morena Range (Brown Mountains) in western Spain, constituting about 53 individuals. Intense human activity provides short opportunity for the Lynx to expand their range. The Lynx is popularly called "gato-cravo" in this region.
SERRA DA MALCATA
Serra da Malcata considered as nature reserve. The Malcata Mountain Range is located in central Portugal bordering Spain to the east. The Lynx has been well studied in this region during the last 20 years, documenting the population decline to about 5-8 Lynxes in the 127 Km2 area by 1990-1992. In the last three years the decline was accented by the continued decline of it's principal prey, the European rabbit, due to intensified exposure to certain illnesses, as well as destruction and degradation of habitat. Human encroachment of reproduction zones has proved the greatest impact. It is difficult to asses the current population estimate in Malcata, but the situation must be critical. The population appears to be severely isolated from other Portuguese nuclei, but may still be in contact with about 58 individuals that occupy a vast area of the Spanish Gata e Béjar mountain ranges. In the central region, such as in the Alentejano northeast, the felid is known by the name "lobo-cerval".
VALE DO SADO
Centrally located coastal region along the Atlantic that houses a small, dispersed population of Lynx remnants of a larger population that was once linked to the main Algarve population through the Tejo and Sado basins until the middle of this century. Their current isolation is a precarious situation resulting from large changes of habitat over the past 50 years, and great incidences of human caused mortality during the 50s, 60s and 70s. However, a small number of fragmented individuals still occur in areas containing favourable shrub habitat. "Liberne" is the native name of the Iberian lynx in this region, and its image still exists in the memory of aged people.

Source & Image:
http://lynx.uio.no

Africanized Honey Bees / Killer Bees

Africanized Honey Bees also called Africanized bees or killer bees descend from south Africa bees imported in 1956 by Brazilian scientists thaattempting to breed a honey bee better adapted to the South American tropics.
When some bees escaped from quarantine in 1957, they began breeding with local Brazilian honey bees, quickly multiplying and extended their range throughout South and Central America at a rate greater than 320 Km per year. In the past decade, they began invading North America. Africanized bees acquired the name of killer bees because they attack people and animals who unwittingly stray into their territory, resulting in serious injury or death.
It is not necessary to disturb the hive itself to initiate an attack. Africanized bees have been know to respond viciously to mundane occurrences, including noises or even vibrations from vehicles, equipment and pedestrians. Though their venom is no more potent than native honey bees, these bees attack in far greater numbers and pursue perceived enemies for greater distances. Once disturbed, colonies may remain agitated for 24 hours, attacking people and animals within a range of a quarter mile from the hive.

source & image:

desertusa.com