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Gordoni cat |
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He is a wild animal |
Origin |
Nubia, Sahara and near Arabian deserts | |
Translation |
Francis Vandersteen |
| The possession of this animal is not authorized Royal Decree establishing the list of mammals not kept for production purposes that may be kept (M.B. 24.08.2009) |
| Also known as the Omani cat, its coat varies from sandy yellow to tawny brown and sometimes gray. The body is marked by faint black stripes and spots. The characteristic feature of the species is the reddish or rusty-brown tinge on the back of the ears. The tail is ringed with three black rings and ends in a blunt black tip. It is found in the Arabian Peninsula. Its geographic distribution is widely dispersed throughout Nubia, the Sahara and near the Arabian deserts. Its habitat, however, is limited to mountains and dry rivers. Its preferred habitats are mainly vegetated dunes, plains and gravel mountains. The Gordoni cat is most active at night and can have a territory ranging from 6 to 40 km². The solitary Gordoni cat is an excellent hunter. Its main prey are rodents (meridian and gerbil), reptiles, small birds and insects. The amount of water this cat needs depends on the amount in the prey it captures. As with most wild cat subspecies, the survival of Gordon's Wildcat is threatened by hybridization. Cross-breeding with domestic cats could lead to the extinction of the pure strain. The Gordon's wildcat is one of the rarest subspecies of wildcat. The Parc des Félins d'Auneau was one of the first French parks to have one. Unfortunately, the park closed its doors in August 2006. All the animals were transferred to the Parc des félins in Nesles, Seine-et-Marne. Despite this change, Gordon's wild cat seems to be acclimatizing well to life in captivity, and is reproducing very well. |
English (United Kingdom)