Utah’s Hogle Zoo has released new images of one of its deadliest residents: a cute, seemingly cuddly cat whose species is found primarily in arid areas of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.
But do not be fooled.
Despite being an animal of just a few kilos, the black-footed cat Gaia is one of the deadliest felines on the planet, despite being decidedly extremely cute.
Carnivores can eat around 3,000 rodents a year in their natural habitats, with a 60 percent success rate.
Compare that to the 20 percent that big cats like lions and tigers have, and it should come as no surprise that zookeepers warned in a caption to refrain from giving the creature any pets, or risk its wrath.
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Utah’s Hogle Zoo has released new images of one of its deadliest residents: a cute, seemingly cuddly cat found primarily in arid areas of Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.
But don’t be fooled. Despite being a unique cat and weighing just a few kilos, the Gaia black-footed cat is one of the deadliest felines on the planet, despite having a shape clearly similar to that of a friend.
“Dear reader,” the ad begins, nine months after the animal’s arrival from Glen Rose, Texas, in October 2023.
‘We’ve heard your pss-pss-pss, your complaints about Gaia being in the form of a friend, and your desire to scratch the chin of the tiniest, deadliest cat you’ve ever seen.
“We’re not here to crush your dreams, except maybe we are,” the employees joked.
‘While Gaia may be the cutest, tiniest, most friend-like feline you’ve ever seen, never forget her deadly reputation.
“What you CAN do is visit Gaia at the Small Animal Building, where you can feel all your big feelings for Gaia internally and from afar,” the post, written on Saturday, continued.
‘Sincerely and happy #Caturday, #utahshoglezoo.’
A few days earlier, zookeepers shared an equally cute clip of the spotted cat scratching at a hanging piece of wood installed in his enclosure.
“Catch it, girl,” the employees wrote in response, before again reminding viewers of their surprising success rate in the hunt.
In the new clip, the cat appeared to be hunting, which contributed to its ancestors’ 60 percent success rate.
The carnivores can eat around 3,000 rodents a year in their natural habitats and are considered one of the deadliest feline species in the world, at least in statistical terms.
Images of other felines like Gaia in the wild show how dangerous they are when hunting.
They can stalk their prey for hours on end, sometimes at distances of up to 20 miles.
But it is the black-footed cat’s dexterity when it comes into contact with the odd bird or gerbil that really comes into its own, flattening itself against the ground like a carpet before leaping with maximum power.
The result is a cat that can literally leap into the air several meters to catch an escaping bird, hence its success rate.
Considering this is happening in the savannahs and deserts of some of the harshest areas in the world, this is nothing to sneeze at.
Despite all this, the black-footed cat is considered “vulnerable,” meaning it is just one step away from being endangered.
A 2016 assessment found that only about 9,700 of the killer cats live in the wild in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, with some kept in exhibits like one that opened in December in Utah.
Gaia is seen posing on a log in her enclosure showing off her black stripes and tiny toes.
The four-pound cat arrived in Utah from Glen Rose, Texas, last October after being born in May of last year.
They can stalk their prey for hours on end, sometimes at distances of around 20 miles.
“She’s quite a feisty cat,” Bob Cisneros, associate director of animal care at the Hogle Zoo, said at the time.
He added that she is a “powerful warrior” who prefers the shelter of night to familiarize herself with her new home.
For its wild counterparts, the same is true for their preferred time to hunt – another interesting fact about the smallest wild cat species found on the continent.
They are native only to Africa, so consider visiting Gaia at your own risk.
