One of the smallest wild cats in the world lives in the savannas of South Africa, in parts of Namibia and Botswana. But despite its diminutive size, this animal is more deadly than a leopard or a lion.
The black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) has a light brown, spotted body, and is small even compared to domestic cats. Typically, the animal reaches less than 50 centimeters in length; its height is 20 cm, and its average weight is just one and a half kilograms. With these dimensions, the black-footed cat is the smallest of the African felines.
Despite its tiny size, the black-footed cat hunts and brings back more prey in one night than a leopard does in six months. During this time, the predator kills 10 to 14 rodents, reptiles, and small birds. This is because many small predators have a high metabolism and therefore need to constantly feed: a black-footed cat needs to eat at least 250 grams of food per day.
Unlike other African cats, the black-footed cat doesn’t climb trees, but prefers to nest in destroyed termite mounds, porcupine burrows, or rabbit dens. This has earned it the nickname “ant tiger.”
The exact population size of black-footed cats is unknown. They are a vulnerable species, listed on the Red List of Threatened Species.
