NikonGear'23
Images => Nature, Flora, Fauna & Landscapes => Topic started by: Andrew on December 20, 2016, 11:21:34
-
Two days ago, D500, 200-500/6.3, blind, monopod.
According to Wikipedia is Wildcat, very rare in Poland, probbably mix with domestic cat.
-
It is a beaut. I love the crop.
-
I saw African wildcats in South Africa. They were beautiful animals.
Like your specimen, apparently well able to nourish themselves with whatever prey they hunt.
-
Very nice pictures of a nice specimen!
I'm surprised that you can stand to be in a hide in that weather ::)
-
Nice photos.
I think it could be a rather "normal" domestic European one, 1st born or descendant from releases
European wildcats are very, very scarce and rare
Here's a video, that I also suspect is not of a true wildcat, but I can be wrong in both cases
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWBF4_3PDvE
-
I tend to agree with Pedro.
Wild cats have much thicker, furrier tails that have a blunter end and bolder, better defined rings.
This one is still a very nice specimen, clearly it is eating well - even feral ones can be mean killing machines!
Edit: I should have said "purebred wild cats ". mixtures are always possible.
-
Local foresty guy and hunter as well told me: mix.
As fare I know nobody did see it before.
Acc. to Wikipedia eyes color is wrong-bluish not yellowish. Mumbers of ring, face marking-again acc. to Wikipedia is correct...
Hide-central heating didn't work and plumbing also broken-ca 20cm of water...
Any way-we will see if it will be visible again.
And thanx for comments!
-
Very nice one, Andrew. Give us more of it :).
See also here for identification criteria with many photo examples: http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/identify.html
-
Beautiful Andrew.
Blue-eyed cats are very rare, even the domesticated ones. (You can find them normally with cats from Eastern part of the world, like Siamese cats).
-
Bruno, John-thanx!
I did took ca 120 pix in 50 minutes, this two was the best representation of the situation.
More-maybe after Christmas, if I will be lucky again!
-
I'd also say it's not a genetically pure European Wildcat. The tail isn't quite right - not as bushy and thick as in a pure-bred Wildcat and it looks a bit too long to me, the tip isn't blunt enough, the markings aren't quite distinct. The stripes on the body are typically more distinct as well, and the eye colour would be highly unusual for a European Wildcat, their eyes are typically yellow. Possibly a hybrid, or just a very nice, muscular domestic cat.
For more information have a look here: http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/identify.html I find that website pretty useful. You might also try to post one of your pictures to the "Mammals" section on Birdforum, there are quite a few people who know their mammals very well.
By the way, the population in Germany seems to be doing quite well. Doesn't make it a lot easier to actually see one in the wild though. I only managed a couple of sightings in the past 25 years or so.
Hermann
-
I will kontakt people from Puszcza Bialowieska-they will know more...
"PB" - last original forest in Europe.