Felis silvestris caucasica
Rare and Endangered Animals of Armenia
The Wild Cat
File:200px-European wild cat.jpg The Wild Cat (Felis silvestris) is a small predator native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar size. There are two named subspecies: the African Wild Cat or Desert Cat (Felis silvestris lybica) which remains common, and the ubiquitous Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus), which has been introduced to every habitable continent and most of the world's larger islands, and has become feral in many of those environments.
In its native environment, the Wild Cat is adaptable to a variety of habitat types: savanna, open forest, and steppe. Although domesticated breeds show a great variety of shapes and colours, wild individuals are medium-brown with black stripes, between 50 and 80 cm (20–32 inches) in length, and weigh between 3 and 6 kilograms (6–13 pounds). The African subspecies tends to be a little smaller and a lighter brown in colour.
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Animal in Armenia
Կովկասյան անտառակատու ("Kovkasyan antarakatu")
Status
Rare species.
Habitat in Armenia
Can be met in the forests of Kapan, Meghri, Ijevan, Krasnoselsk, Stepanavan, Shamshadin, and Noyemberyan regions.
Number in the wild
From 1949 to 1970, 230 furs daily were used in appropriate fur processing centers of Armenia. Since 1971 the number decreased to 100.
Reasons for decrease in number
Extensive activity of the population causes the decrease of territories used by these mammals. The number change depends on the quality of agro-technical and chemical activities taken to fight vermin in the areas.
Number in captivity
No data
Measures of protection taken
Protected in Dilijan, Khosrov, Shikahogh Nature Reserves.