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Felis nigripes
– Vulnerable
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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MAMMALIA
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Order:
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CARNIVORA
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Family:
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FELIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Felis nigripes
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Species Authority:
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Burchell, 1824
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Common Name/s:
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BLACK-FOOTED CAT (Eng)
SMALL-SPOTTED CAT (Eng)
CHAT À PIEDS NOIRS (Fre)
GATO DE PIES NEGROS (Spa)
GATO PATINEGRO (Spa)
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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VU C2a(i) ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2002
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Assessor/s:
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Cat Specialist Group
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Evaluator/s:
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Nowell, K., Breitenmoser, U., Breitenmoser, C. & Jackson, P. (Cat Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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Based on estimates of geographic range and average densities (Nowell and Jackson 1996, A. Sliwa in litt.), the black-footed cat’s total effective population size is estimated at below 10,000 mature breeding individuals, with a declining trend due to loss of prey base and persecution, and no subpopulation containing more than 1,000 mature individuals.
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History:
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| 1996 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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The black-footed cat is restricted to the arid lands of Southern Africa (Nowell and Jackson 1996).
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Countries:
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Native:
Botswana; Namibia; South Africa
Uncertain presence and origin:
Angola
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Population
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Population:
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Most authorities have described it as a naturally rare species (Stuart and Wilson 1988, Skinner and Smithers 1990). Still, it is locally common at certain localities in South Africa, especially in the Orange Free State and northern Cape (J. Visser, A. Sliwa in lit.).
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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This species is typically associated with open, sandy, grassy habitats with sparse shrub and tree cover, such as the Kalahari and Karoo regions (Smithers 1971 and 1975, Visser 1977, Mills et al. 1984, Stuart and Wilson 1988, Sliwa 1993).
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System:
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Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine
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Threats
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Threats:
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Indiscriminate methods of predator control could be a significant threat, although farmers seldom report capturing black-footed cats in problem animal surveys (Joubert et al. 1982, Stuart and Wilson 1988). Farmers in South Africa and Namibia consider the similar-looking African wildcat a predator of small livestock, and set out steel-jaw traps and poisoned bait to get rid of them (Joubert et al. 1982, Vorster 1988). Carcass poisoning for jackal control may be a threat. A similar threat is poisoning of locusts, which are food for the black-footed cat. Finally, overgrazing by livestock is prevalent throughout the species range, and habitat deterioration can lead to reductions of the cat’s small vertebrate prey base (A. Sliwa pers. comm.).
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Included on CITES Appendix I and protected by national legislation across most of its range (Nowell and Jackson 1996). Hunting of this species is banned in Botswana and South Africa.
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