Caucasian forest cat: a brief description

In the world there are still little studied animals, they include the Caucasian forest cat. Despite the fact that they are common in a number of countries in Eastern and Western Europe, Central Asia, they are not aware of as much information as other wild animals. There are reasons for this: a secretive way of life, hard-to-reach habitats and a small number of individuals.

Description

The Caucasian forest cat is listed in the Red Book of Russia. As a rare species, she was given the third number. Protected in the Caucasus, Teberda and other reserves. For the protection of animals, no special measures have been developed. It is a subspecies of a wild cat that lives in the Caucasus and Turkey.

A large, ordinary "yard" color - like this looks like a Caucasian forest cat. The description is given below.

• Weight: males - 3,1-6,08 kg, females - 3,0-6,0 kg.
• Length of muscular body: males - 50.1-67 cm, females - 52.3-61 cm.
• The length of the tail as a percentage of the length of the trunk is: in males - up to 60%, in females - up to 56%.
• Claws are large, sharp.
• Head - wide, rounded.
• Ears - round, height up to 7 cm.
• Mustache - long.
• Eyes - large, without eyelashes.
• The hairline is dense and lush in winter.

Wild life left an imprint on the coat color of the animal:

• The general color is gray with a rustle, a black band stretches along the ridge, there are dark stripes on the sides;
• On the head along the forehead to the occipital part, black bands are clearly visible;
• Bottom of throat, abdomen, inguinal areas - light, almost white, with ohrist tinge, especially noticeable on podhvoste;
• On the abdomen there may be indistinctly marked dark spots;
• Tail is "decorated" with dark rings, the number is from 3 to 8.

Such a pattern allows animals to camouflage themselves for hunting from ambush. In summer it is brighter, in winter it fades. To hunt a cat prefers at night.

Gon in cats begins in February-March. Pregnancy lasts 68-70 days. In the litter, usually 3-5 kittens. They suck mother up to 4 months. From two months the mother teaches them how to get their food. After six months, males leave the mother, girls can stay with her for longer. Sexual maturity occurs at one-year-old age. The first offspring of young individuals appears at the age of three.

Food

Caucasian forest cat - predator. She freely climbs trees, but hunts, prefers on the ground. In its diet - rodents of all kinds, lizards, fish, small birds, eggs and chicks. For hunting, the animal is able to eat up to 20 mice. Hunting grounds for one individual are up to 3 km ² . In their habitats, they are a raccoon dog, a badger, a raccoon raccoon, a marten, a fox.

A shortage of the main object of hunting can force cats to hunt and larger game. The diet includes pheasants, muskrat, nutria, hares and young ungulates. If possible, catch poultry. In addition, they consume a small amount of green cereals, fruits, insects and fresh carrion. Deep snow causes cats to migrate, it interferes with rapid movement and, accordingly, the extraction of food.

Habitat

Animals prefer beech-fir forests broad - leaved forests and crooked forests. They are met in Europe and Asia. In Russia, they are common in Chechnya, southern Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Adygea, North Ossetia, Krasnodar and Stavropol regions. There are populations in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia.

Cats prefer the deaf areas of the forest, choosing clefts of rocks, old burrows of other animals and even hollows. Near the rivers live in dense thickets of bushes and reeds. Animals were noticed near human buildings, they can take advantage of abandoned buildings.

Despite the meager information on animals, there are several reports on how the Caucasian forest cat lives. Interesting facts about them can be found from the list below:

• In habitats they do not have natural enemies;
• In the North Caucasus, they are not threatened with degeneration due to mating with domestic cats; harsh living conditions will not allow the squares to survive;
• Live at an altitude of 2500-3000 meters above sea level;
• Prefer to attack from an ambush, very rarely pursue fleeing game, but easily catch a hare.

Number of

Human activities - the main factor in the disappearance of many species of animals from the face of the Earth. Previously, the relative count of animals was based on the number of pelts produced. The minimum population was 1800 animals, the maximum - 3500.

The Caucasian forest cat lives in the Caucasian state natural biosphere reserve, there are about 120 individuals of both sexes. The livestock is relatively stable and decreases only in severe winters.

The main reasons for the decline in numbers are:

• Reduction of the range due to chaotic deforestation;
• Illegal hunting;
• Adverse environmental conditions (especially in winter).

Enthusiasts try to increase the population of such animals, as the Caucasian forest cat. The Red Book helps to save these mysterious animals. Preservation of unique broadleaf forests in the North Caucasus guarantees life to forest predators.