WILDCAT: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CONSERVATION - BIOLOGY - 2025

The wildcat (Felis silvestris) is a placental mammal that belongs to the Felidae family. Although this species is different from the domestic cat, since its body is more robust and the tail ends in a black tassel, it can be crossed. The product of this mating is a fertile hybrid.

The fur of the wild cat, as it is also known, has a grayish-brown color that becomes lighter in the ventral area and in the lower parts. On the forehead it has four black lines oriented longitudinally. These converge in a stripe that runs along the entire spine.

Wildcat. Source: Peter Trimming

It is distributed in much of Eurasia and in Africa. In these regions it prefers forest mosaic habitats, where open areas, such as scattered scrub, alternate with forests, weeds and rocky areas. It is generally absent from urban environments and from very open or semi-desert spaces.

Subspecies

- Felis silvestris cafra.

- Felis silvestris Caucasian.

- Felis silvestris vellerosa.

- Felis silvestris caudata.

- Felis silvestris chutuchta.

- Felis silvestris silvestris.

- Felis silvestris cretensis

- Felis silvestris foxi.

- Felis silvestris rubida.

- Felis silvestris gordoni.

- Felis silvestris grampia.

- Felis silvestris ocreata.

- Felis silvestris griselda.

- Felis silvestris haussa.

- Felis silvestris lybica.

- Felis silvestris iraki.

- Felis silvestris jordansi.

- Felis silvestris nesterovi.

- Felis silvestris mellandi.

- Felis silvestris ornata.

- Felis silvestris reyi.

- Felis silvestris tristrami.

- Felis silvestris ugandae.

Habitat and distribution

The bobcat is widely distributed. It mainly inhabits much of Africa, China, India, central and southeast Asia, Europe, and Mongolia.

Subspecies

The African wildcat (F. s. Lybica) is found north of the African continent, and extends from the Arabian Peninsula to the Caspian Sea, where it shares territory with the Asian wildcat.

In southern Africa it is replaced by Fscafra. The separation between these two subspecies, according to biogeographic and morphological evidence, occurs to the southeast, in the Mozambique and Tanzania area.

In relation to the Asian wildcat (F. s. Ornata), it lives from the western region of India to the eastern Caspian and from southern Mongolia and western China to Kazakhstan.

Previously, the F. s. silvestris was widely localized in Europe. However, in the mid-1770s and up to 1900 the population of this subspecies decreased considerably, due to its hunting and local extirpation. This resulted in a fragmented distribution.

Recently in some countries the habitat has been expanded. This occurs in the Netherlands, Austria and Italy. However, it is extinct in the Czech Republic.

In the Pyrenees it is distributed from sea level to a height of 2,250 meters. The only island in the Mediterranean populated by the wild bobcat is Sicily.

Habitat

Habitat fragmentation

Historically, the degradation of the environment has caused a dramatic loss of populations of this species in Russia and Europe.

In Spain, the loss of habitat may have led to the disappearance of the wildcat from the agricultural areas of valleys and plateaus of various rivers, such as the Duero, the Guadalquivir and the Ebro.

Some of the factors that cause this destruction of the environment are deforestation and the elimination of bushes, in order to combat forest fires.

In addition, the increase in the change of natural areas by urbanized areas and by intensive cultivation reduces, isolates and notably fragments the populations of this feline.

Likewise, the Felis silvestris is threatened by the isolation of its population and by vehicular traffic, since the animal is run over while crossing the roads.

Ungulates

Likewise, ungulates have expanded the area where they live, negatively affecting the availability of prey, among which are rodents and lagomorphs.

Particularly in the Monfragüe National Park, in Spain, there is an abundant population of wild boars and deer. This results in a decrease in the prey of the wildcat, such as rabbits and rodents.

From this competition for food, Felis silvestris comes out disadvantaged, which can influence its distribution and abundance.

Predator control

The use of traps and poison as non-selective methods to control predators, including field rodents and rabbits, is a fairly common practice in various regions.

Thus, the bobcat is trapped in the traps found on abandoned trails or roads, and in most cases dies.

According to some research, this feline is one of the wild carnivores most affected by poisoned baits, after canids. Likewise, accidental intoxication could occur, due to the ingestion of chemical products for industrial or agricultural use.

Hunting

On the other hand, the Felis silvestris is directly hunted by man, since it considers it a threat to its domestic animals. He also hunts it because its fur satisfies some fur markets. The latter constituted in past times an important cause of decline in the population of this species.

This predator is persecuted for considering that it competes with man in hunting some animals and because it harms the populations of game species. However, this is not completely justified.

In Scotland Felis silvestris was attributed the slaughter of alligators and pheasants. After investigating in this regard, it was found that birds predominate in their diet, so their incidence in the decline of rabbits was not significant.

-Actions

Conservation measures are aimed at eliminating the factors that cause population decline, both nationally and locally.

Likewise, the wildcat is legally protected in much of its habitat in Asia, Europe and some African ranges.

The European wild cat is considered a protected animal in the Habitats and Species Directive of the European Union. In addition, it is found in Appendix II of the Berne Convention. In the UK it is included in the Wildlife and Countryside Act animal list.

On the Asian continent, it has the protection of the ecological laws in Afghanistan. Likewise, it is part of the controls contemplated in Appendix II of CITES.

Feeding

Rodents are the group of animals most consumed by the bobcat, reaching high percentage values ​​in almost all regions. Thus, in Switzerland and France they represent more than 95% of the diet of this cat. In Italy they make up 70% of their diet and in Scotland 50%.

In relation to Spain, the proportion is more variable, with a relative frequency of 50% in some regions, while in others it reaches 80% and up to 94%.

As for the most consumed rodent species, this will depend on the temporal and spatial availability in the environment.

Thus, the species belonging to the Microtinos subfamily are consumed in greater quantity in the highlands, where they are abundant, than in the southern ones. On the contrary, it occurs with the Murinos subfamily, which constitute the majority of the prey in the low latitudes.

The importance of rodents in the diet of Felis silvestris is evident. However, the rabbit is also a very frequent animal in their diet. In some regions it could even exceed 64% of consumption, as is the case in southern Spain.

Taking into account its nutritional characteristics, the wildcat could be considered a medical specialist, whose diet will vary according to the availability of the two animals that basically form its diet. But members of the species could behave differently, in the case of restrictions with prey.

Trophic generalist

If the mouse and rabbit populations decrease, this species could behave as a trophic generalist. Thus, it supplements its diet with other prey, such as shrews, moles, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fawns, fish and invertebrates, mainly arthropods.

They rarely consume carrion and when they do, it is usually sheep or deer. They could also eat grass, possibly as a source of forage.

The incorporation of these food resources allows the trophic diversity of Felis silvestris to vary geographically and seasonally. In relation to this, during the summer the diet is twice as varied as in the winter, with the exception that there is an abundance of rabbits.

At the continental level, the diversity of food is much greater at low latitudes and in the Mediterranean area, where arthropods and reptiles abound. In high latitudes the consumption of large rodents and hares is greater, since in general in that area there is little variety of species.

The hunt

Hearing and sight are the main senses this feline uses when hunting. It is generally a solitary animal, but to capture its prey it could form groups. This species hunts on the prowl, waiting for the animal to be within reach. Then with a strong jump it captures it, using its claws.

In the case of a small prey, it bites on the nape of the neck, piercing the neck area or occiput using its fangs. If the animal is large, it jumps abruptly on its back and tries to bite the carotid. If the cat escapes, the cat generally doesn't try to chase it.

In some cases, the bobcat creeps along the ground and when it is close it hunts the animal. You can also climb the trees, to take the eggs and the young that are in the nests.

Reproduction

The female of this species reaches sexual maturity between 1 and 1.5 years, while the male does so at approximately 2.5 years. The female has two periods of estrus, one from December to February and the other from May to July.

The duration of each one is 5 to 9 days. In relation to ovulation, it is induced through copulation. In contrast, spermatogenesis occurs throughout the year.

At mating season, the males crowd around the female and fight each other aggressively, howling and screaming, to gain access to her. The mating system is polygynous, so a female can mate with several males during the same season.

Breeding could occur at different times of the year. The European wild cat (F. s. Silvestris), mates in late winter, approximately between January and March. The species that live in Asia reproduce almost all year round and in Africans it occurs from September to March.

As for gestation, it lasts between 56 and 68 days, and at the end of the period, 1 to 8 young are born. In the following video you can hear how a Mauya bobcat looking for a partner:

The babies

Newborns weigh about 65 to 163 grams. They are born blind, but between weeks 10 and 13 they open their eyes, which are blue. In the seventh week, the tonality of these begins to change to gold.

In the burrow, they are cared for and suckled by the mother. Along with this, the young begin to hunt when they are two months old and are independent after 150 days of being born.

As for the teeth, the incisors emerge between 14 and 30 days. The milk denture is replaced by the permanent one between 160 and 240 days. Although lactation lasts about 3 to 4 months, the pups eat meat as early as 1.5 months

Behavior

The wildcat is a solitary animal and only in the mating season does it form a temporary couple. The male can share his territory with three or five females, but does not allow other males in it.

To delimit their area, they urinate in a specific place and scratch the trees. In addition, they deposit the feces in a high place and rub the anal glands against the trunks of trees and vegetation.

This species is usually active at night, at dawn or dusk. However, in those areas that are little disturbed by man, they may have some kind of activity during the day.

When it feels threatened, instead of climbing a tree, it takes shelter in a burrow. When this shelter is in between the rocks, place in this bird feathers and dry grass. If it is a hollow in a tree, it already has sawdust inside, so it does not incorporate any other material to make it more comfortable.

Communication

To communicate, he usually does so using visual cues, including wagging his tail, lifting his hair from his back, and making some expressions with his face. In addition, it can vocalize different calls, such as hisses, purrs, howls, and a special screech that it uses to calm the young.

The bobcat uses its whiskers as a tactile organ. These are highly sensory and allow the animal to determine if it can pass its body through small openings, such as tubes and crevices.

In addition, the Felis silvestris has an excellent sense of hearing and smell. You can quickly rotate your ears, to detect the source of the sound. Likewise, it has the ability to listen to the sounds produced by small rodents, capturing them without having to see them.

References

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