One of the 14 cats on WAnimals
Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae
African Golden Cat
Caracal aurata
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The African golden cat is one of the least known cats in the world. It lives in the forests of equatorial Africa, is strictly nocturnal and so elusive that most of what is known comes from camera traps set out over the last two decades. It is a medium-sized, stocky cat with relatively short legs and a small head, which hunts rodents, small duikers, monkeys and birds. Deforestation and snaring for bushmeat are its main threats.
Weight
5.5 kg – 16 kg
Size
60 cm – 1 m
Lifespan
12 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Fun facts
- GeneralOne of the least known cats; there are hardly any photographs of it in the wild.
- Its coat varies enormously: some individuals are an intense chestnut red and others slate grey, so much so that for a long time they were thought to be separate species, and the same animal can change shade over its life.
- Despite resembling the Asian cats, genetic studies place it with the caracal and the serval, within the African lineage of the cats.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Lowland rainforest and gallery forest
- Gestation / incubation
- 2.5 months
- Litter / clutch size
- 2
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caracal_aurata
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapWhere to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 21 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with African Golden Cat — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
VulnerableLeopard
Panthera pardus
Least ConcernServal
Leptailurus serval
VulnerableAfrican Leopard
Panthera pardus pardus
African Dwarf Crocodile
Osteolaemus tetraspis
L'Hoest's Monkey
Allochrocebus lhoesti
Angolan Colobus
Colobus angolensis
How to help
The african golden cat is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
It's documented in 9 real protected areas — part of why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about african golden cat.
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