Caucasian reed cat (lat. Felis Chaus) is an animal that belongs to the detachment of predatory ones, the cat family and the subspecies of the Caucasian reed cat.
View and man
The reed cat was first described and.BUT. Guldenshtedt a naturalist who was sent by Catherine II in 1776 to explore the southern boundaries of the Russian Empire.
But people met this animal long before this event. So, even in ancient Egypt, people tried to train cats. These representatives of the cat were domestic animals, people often took them to hunt. This became known about rock drawings.
Habitat
Caucasian reed cat inhabits Asia Minor and Transcaucasia, territory from the Hindustan to Indochina. This animal is found in the Nile River Valley. In Eurasia, a reed cat lives on the plains of Dagestan, the coast of the Caspian Sea until the mouth of. Volga, at Terek and Kuma.
This predator usually hides in the thickets of reeds and shrubs that are located next to the lowspeed shores of rivers and seas. The animal usually cannot be found in open space, but it hunts on the sands that are covered with saxaul. Those individuals who live in the mountains do not rise high 1000 m above the water level is their limit.
Kamyshka cats often find holes of foxes or badgers, in which they spend time in inclement weather and hide from the summer heat. But for a long time they do not stay in one hole it can cost an animal life.
Appearance
The body length of the reed cat is 60-90 cm, the tail is about 30 cm. A predator weighs approximately 12 kg, the height of the cat in the withers is half a meter. Only Thailand and Sri Lanka inhabit small individuals, and large ones-the Caucasus, Palestine.
The body of the animal is quite strong, the muscles are well developed. The cat is massive, his gaze penetrates through. The color of the reed cat is similar to the color of the lynx. This spokesman even has a brush brush on the ears. The color of the body is usually swamp or grayish. Youngers have dark stripes that are located on the legs and tail. Over time, they disappear. Spots are also present on the back. At the nose and on the chin of sandy wool.
Food
The reed cat, although it is considered a predator, is actually omnivorous. The cat prefers to eat meat. In the wild, the animal hunts birds, it can catch a fidget in flight. A predator often has eggs of other species, sneaks chicks. The basis of the diet can be called rodents, but the reed cat often eats frogs and lizards, large insects. Sometimes a representative of cats hunts boars and hares. The cat swims well and therefore enjays fish and ducks. On the hunt, the predator claps his paws on the water, imitating the movements of small insects fish food, attracting their prey.
In winter, when it is especially cold, the reed cat will attack poultry.
Vocalization
This predator can meow, hiss and scream loudly. All these sounds are made during the propagation period.
Reproduction
The propagation period begins in February, and ends in March. Females who are ready to mate begin to meow, and the males immediately resort to the call. In the reproduction season, males often fight among themselves by the female.
The female hatches the cub for 2 months, before the birth of the baby, she creates a den and makes it comfortable. Typically, the place of birth is in more often the forest or next to the prickly shrub. The female usually gives birth to 3-6 kittens. When it is born, the newborn weighs from 60 to 100 g. The eyes of the offspring open only after 10 days, but they hear kittens from birth.
Mother always cares about babies, feeds offspring with milk for about 3 months, but from 10 weeks of age gives kittens meat. At 5 months, young animals become absolutely independent, and at 8 it already reaches puberty.
Life expectancy
Reed cats live about 15 years in the wild. In captivity, this indicator increases.
Lifestyle
For this predator, hunting is very important, where it behaves boldly, but neatly. The reed cat is active at dusk and in the morning, and in the daytime the animal loves to relax.
Good vision and excellent hearing are the main assistants of the reed cat who prevent him from causing him to enemies. But, if the skirmish nevertheless happened, the representative of the cats attacks the first.
The Caucasian reed cat has a territory whose area varies from 50 to 180 km2. There, a reed cat lives in complete loneliness, and only during the breeding period does the females mate. Young animals and their mothers live families, and the male does not participate in education.
Domestic
It is possible to dominate the reed cat, but it is difficult to do it the animal has freedomloving disposition. Even the cubs do not want to accustom the owner of the order: they constantly snort and hiss. But, if the cat is nevertheless domesticated, he recognizes only his master, and the other family members will be aggressive.
Natural enemies
There are many enemies in the Caucasian reed. So, the animal often becomes a victim of foxes and wolves. The animal always tries to escape, climbs on the trees with the help of claws. When an attack of a bear, the cat jumps from one tree to another.
Limiting factors
The main limiting factor is the forced change of habitat. This can happen due to drainage of reservoirs, burning the thickets of reeds and deterioration of the environmental situation. The number of species is also affected by the reduction of floodplain forests. The population of a reed cat is reduced due to poaching, lack of adaptation to harsh winters and a lack of food.
Red Book
To date, the future of the species is not anxious. However, the Caucasian Kamyshova Cat is included in the II sites the Convention on the Trade of rare animals in the international market. This species was also listed in the Red Book of Eurasia.
Numbers
This type is characterized by constant fluctuations in numbers. The most individuals live in the Caucasus. This species is protected in the Kyzyl-Agach reserve, there is a very high density. On the territory of Armenia, the number is low, as in Georgia. This situation arose due to the spread of agricultural vehicles. In Kalmykia, the number is also constantly declining. 150 individuals live on the territory of North Ossetia, in Eurasia 500.
Interesting Facts
- Reed cat often bathes, loves to dive headlong. The animal does this to destroy the unpleasant smell of his body, as it scares away potential victims during the hunt.
- The animal hunts at night. It first monitors prey, then quickly jumps to it, grabs and bites.
- A cat’s representative can watch the victim for hours sitting at his hole.
- Males are born much more often, their share in the brood is approximately 76%.
- Animal fur is rude and short. In the summer the cat is melting, and in winter it is covered with thick wool.
- In captivity, males raise cubs, take care of them.
- At the reed cat, the pupils are extended in vertical lines.
