The destructive and adorable black-footed cats have returned to a Texas wildlife center.
Thirteen of these deadly black-footed cats have been born at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose since 2019.
Rhaegal, 9, and Morgan, 12, two of the sanctuary’s seven black-footed cats, are currently being tested as breeding partners at the zoo.
“They can’t choose who they want to mate with based on their appearance; what matters is who will create the most genetically diverse offspring,” said carnivore curator Amanda Collins.
If Rhae and Morgan are not compatible, the wildlife center will introduce the cat to another male of the species called Smidgen.
This action may be one of the reasons why Fossil Rim is the leading black-footed cat breeder in North America.
Thirteen black-footed cats have been born at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas, since 2019
Rhaegal, 9, and Morgan, 12, two of the sanctuary’s seven black-footed cats, are potential breeding partners at the zoo.
If Rhae and Morgan are not compatible, the wildlife center will introduce the cat to another male of the species called Smidgen.
The 1,800-acre wildlife center began housing black-footed cats in 2014 before the first kittens were born five years later on March 29.
‘We wanted to add a new species for which we thought we could make a difference; participate in breeding and help in a program,” said the carnivore curator Jason Ahistus in a blog post.
The program Ahistus is referring to is the Black-footed Cat Species Survival Plan, which is a cooperative breeding program.
Today, two of the black-footed animals can be found at the center’s Children’s Animal Center and the others can be seen during behind-the-scenes tours of the Intensive Management Area.
Fossil Rim has donated some black-footed cat kittens to places like the Kansas City Zoo and the Prospect Park Zoo in New York.
Another kitten, Gaia, went to the Hogle Zoo in Utah and has since received a lot of attention on social media.
Gaia may seem harmless, but in reality, she and other black-footed cats are.quite tenacious.’
The 1,800-acre wildlife center began housing black-footed cats in 2014 before the first kittens were born five years later on March 29.
One of the black-footed cats born at the wildlife center, Gaia, has received attention on social media after her birth last May.
According Texas monthlythe animals are “the most successful hunter of all wildcats.”
The animals can capture more prey than leopards in a six-month period.
They can also defend themselves against animals that are “eight times their size.”
Black-footed cats are experts at camouflage while hunting and also have a strong sense of hearing and night vision.
Although cats are avid hunters, their species was classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2002.
As of 2019, there are only about 10,000 black-footed cats left in the wild and 28 of those animals are found in North America.
According to Texas Monthly, the animals are “the most successful hunter of all wildcats.” The animals can capture more prey than leopards in a six-month period.
Black-footed cats are experts at camouflage while hunting and also have a strong sense of hearing and night vision.
“One of our goals is to raise awareness about the species as a whole, because we really need the public’s support,” said Hogle veterinary technician Janice Thompson.
‘It is the rarest African cat. We are working very hard to increase their numbers.
‘Thompson praised the wildlife center for its care of black-footed cats, including Gaia, who currently lives at Hogle Zoo.
“Fossil Rim is very successful with their breeding program,” Thompson said.
“Part of that is because it’s behind the scenes and the cats have a lot of privacy.”
Daily Mail has contacted the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center for comment.