African Golden Cat Key Facts
* Endemic to Africa
* Fur lies forward on head & neck
* Very few studies
African Golden Cat Facts
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Caracal aurata
NAME ORIGIN
The Golden Cat gets the name from its reddish coat. The full common name is the African Golden Cat which distinguishes it from the similar Asian Golden Cat.
Vulnerable (Global). Note that within each country the conservation status can differ to the global status.
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 endemic to Africa and only occurs in the tropical forests of equatorial Africa.
BEHAVIOR
The solitary African Golden Cat feeds mainly on rodents and birds, and is active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular) and at night (nocturnal).
From the few African Golden Cats that have been kept in captivity, gestation (pregnancy) is 75 days with two kittens in a litter and weaning at about six weeks.
Further Information
The following professional organizations have well researched and accurate information on African Golden Cats:
- Conservation Status - IUCN Red List
- Detailed Account - IUCN Cat Specialist Group
- Academic Literature pdf - IUCN Cat Specialist Group
- Bwindi Caracal aurata Project - Research Uganda
- Species Overview - Int. Soc. for Endangered Cats (ISEC)
- Fact File pdf - Arkive Wildscreen
Video: Elusive Golden Cat - Filmed by National Geographic
