Gaia, the world’s deadliest black-footed cat, joins Utah Zoo

With adorable large eyes and smaller than a domestic cat, black-footed cats are far more successful at hunting than lions. They can jump up to 5 feet in the air and 6 and a half feet in distance. They can kill 8 to 14 meals per night and eat 3,000 rodents per year.

Bob Cisneros, Hogle Zoo’s deputy director of animal care, described kitten Gaia as a “mighty warrior” and said, “They are considered fierce cats.”

“They are voracious hunters,” he said.

One of the most successful predators on Earth, black-footed cats catch their prey more than 60 percent of the time, said Amanda Collins, deputy program leader for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Black-footed Feline Conference, which manages breeding. Estimated and species conservation in the United States.

However, the number of wild cats is decreasing. This species is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. As of the 2016 census, there were approximately 9,700 individuals living in the wild in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa.

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Collins said there are about 28 black-footed cats living in accredited zoos in North America, and the consortium is pairing up the most genetically disparate cats in hopes of contributing to species conservation. He said he is working on breeding them.

Then a cat like Gaia appears. Gaia was matched with Ryder, a 3-year-old male who was waiting for a genetically compatible mate at the Utah Zoo.

Gaia, who weighs 2.64 pounds and has tan fur with black spots and stripes, large ears and golden-green eyes, arrived at the zoo in October but only entered the small animal exhibit last week. She was one of four kittens born last year at the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Texas, where Collins is curator of carnivores.

Cisneros said the animals are curious and alert, although they don’t show up during the day as they get used to their new home.

“She calms down at night when everyone is gone,” Cisneros said. “When we all went inside, she was crouched down in a little cave.”

The zoo has installed cameras to learn more about her nighttime adventures. Cisneros said her caretakers quickly established a trusting relationship with her and are optimistic she will adjust well.

“She’s a pretty energetic cat,” he said.

The zoo was previously home to a female black-footed cat named Sanula, who successfully gave birth to offspring. She died in September at the record-breaking age of 18 and a half. The zoo adopted Ryder from San Diego in 2021 when he was 1 year old.

Once Gaia is older, the zoo will attempt to mate her with Ryder, with the first attempt likely to occur this fall.

“Gaia is our most distant relative, so she’s a perfect match,” Cisneros said. “We adopted him when he was very young, so we were just waiting for the right time.”

The goal behind cat settlement is not only to produce new kittens, but also to attract new fans of the species.

“Animals like Ryder and Gaia may be found in Africa, far from what we do on a daily basis, but they become representative of a conservation message that applies to everything here. ,” Cisneros said.

Conservationists also hope that increased public interest in the cats will encourage more zoos to give them homes and support conservation efforts. Collins said felines are elusive and nocturnal, so they often hide from visitors and have historically received little interest in exhibits.

“If we have these animals and we don’t have a place to put them, it doesn’t help us,” Collins said. “The more public awareness we have about these cats, the more effort we can put into their conservation efforts.”

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In the wild, black-footed cats sneak across savannahs and deserts under cover of darkness, using their excellent eyesight to spot small insects, rodents, and birds. They kill overnight with lightning speed, roam widely, and often use other animals’ burrows as hiding places.

The average weight is 2.8 pounds for females and 4.2 pounds for males, according to the IUCN. According to VCA Veterinary Hospital, this is much less than the average domestic cat’s weight (8 to 10 pounds), and some breeds are heavier.

What is it like working with them? “It’s spicy,” Collins said.

“It does look like a domestic cat, but it’s definitely not,” she says. “They’re not very affectionate or affectionate towards us, they’re just wild animals.”

Collins said they are generally shy, but can also be very friendly and confident. Nocturnal cats are lazy and elusive during the day, but become very active when ready to hunt.

“Lions and tigers, they have a lot of really great wraps. People love them. But there’s a lot of charm in little cats, too,” Collins said. “They are not very large and charismatic animals, but they are very special in that they are some of the smallest animals in this African landscape.”