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Saw this one on the S100 in June 2005, 20 minutes before gate closing, so the lighting is not that great.

To clone, or not to clone?

There was a discussion about interbreeding recently and this article is illuminating.

Very interesting! So they are basically saying that ALL cats are related! From Lions down to the domestic cat, all over the world.

One of the things that struck most when I first started observing cats in the wild is how much of their behaviour seemed to be exactly like that of domestic cats. Fascinating! And moseso if it is really true, as this research seems to indicate, that indeed
ALL CATS everywhere are descended from the same "first cat".

Seen them several times, both on night drives and in daylight but somehow never managed decent pics.



Lousy shot but it was that impossible light just before sunrise and I insisted on not using a flash.

Discussion on the a sighting on the cam this evening. The question was ask if the small cat like animal could have been a domestic cat? Is that likely in the Kruger?

I can imagine that the no pets rule would include SANP staff, but then we've seen the ranger's dogs on the webcam as well...? On the other hand, Orpen is so close to the outside world that I think that a domestic cat from one of the farms/settlements in the area could easily sneak in. I also believe that its chances to survive might not be as slim as you would think. Especially being this close to a camp. Cats, all cats, are opportunists and will scavenge when they have to. Apart from that... lots of dovies at the waterhole.
I'm only speculating. It's just that this particular critter seems to have way too much white for a wildcat (hm... maybe it is in fact a crossbred?)
Perhaps someone with direct contacts at Orpen camp could shed some light on this?

I´m sure that a rangers dog and other pets, including "normal" dogs are not the same. I believe you could educate a dog very well, like police dogs or for the blind. A good educated dog would protect you and didn`t went in nature without the permission from the ranger. A cat could you only stop to move in the park, if you kept her in the house or on a chain.

Jose, you have a point about previously domesticated ferrel cats getting into the park. They must be among the most adaptable of creatures and could interbreed with the wildcat.
We often stay at a timeshare resort in Hazyview and the place must have scores of ferrel cats. The resort even has a letter inviting visitors to take a cat home with them if they get attached.

There biggest threat as stated allready is without a doubt cross breeding with domestic cats , and it is allready difficult to find pure wild cats .
I have seen on limited occasions in the park , all in the northern areas.

Heres a great pic of 1 I took in Kgalagadi , which seems to be a very good place to see them.

It's a great wildcat pic, bucky. Kgalagadi is also the only place I've seen them clearly. Once saw one stalking a Hamerkop at a water hole. They are beautiful cats!

They are stunning little critters. That is why I am with WTM on this one, I do not like cats. When my brother was a ranger they were issued with daisy BB handguns and used to walk through the camp (not kruger) at night and any feral cats that were seen were shot. I know it sound cruel but the consequence of leaving them and risking interbreeding is a vrey big problem.

Some of my party saw it at the end of a night drive in July 2005 just inside the gate at Tamboti on the left hand side. I wonder how it co-exists with the honey badger.