And the results are in...Another purebred African Wildcat has been found in KwaZulu-Natal province.
Positive results mean that this tomcat has a threshold of over 90% DNA for being a purebred African Wildcat. The tomcat was trapped after becoming a nuisance in the Kamberg area. African Wildcats have been known to hybridize with feral cats which has caused genetic pollution.
As a result of the findings, two questions must be asked. Firstly, is the African Wildcat species more common in KZN than currently recorded? And secondly, both of the African Wildcats came in from areas where feral cats are present. Yet, both Wildcats are genetically pure. Is this a coincidence, or is there a possibility that the African Wildcats may not be hybridizing as prolifically as some believe...?
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Pictured here: A pure African Wildlcat (Felis lybica), the second one we've had in at FreeMe Wildlife over the past few months.
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