IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Bahaa-el-din, L.; Mills, D.; Hunter, L.; Henschel, P. | |
| _Caracal aurata_, African Golden Cat | |
| 2015 Full Book | |
The African Golden Cat is a forest-dependent species restricted to equatorial Africa, where high deforestation and bushmeat hunting levels are causing substantial reductions in their area of occupancy (AOO). Data on the extent of African Golden Cat AOO loss is unavailable due to a lack of population monitoring. We can infer, however, an approximate AOO loss using data on deforestation and bushmeat hunting, as well as evidence of the effects of these on African Golden Cats. We infer that the cumulative loss of AOO from deforestation and bushmeat hunting along expanding road networks amounts to >30% in the past 15 years (three Golden Cat generations; Pacifici et al. 2013) and qualifies the African Golden Cat for Vulnerable status under criterion A2c. Additionally, the exacerbation of these threats due to population growth, projected mining activities and forest clearance for oil palm plantations will likely cause further reduction in AOO for the Golden Cat and we therefore predict that the AOO will be reduced by at least a further 30% in the next 15 years, lending additional support to the species' listing as Vulnerable under criterion A3c. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |