Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomes deadliest cat on the planet, the black-footed cat

Ryan Bittan
·2 min read
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SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah’s Hogle Zoo is home to a new resident — Gaia, the black-footed cat, a species known as the deadliest cat on the planet.

As the smallest species of wild cat, with a height of only eight inches and weight of two to five pounds, why are they considered the deadliest wild cat in the world?

This is due to their incredibly successful hunting rate — 60%, according to Smithsonian Mag.

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Gaia, the black-footed cat (Courtesy of Utah’s Hogle Zoo)
Gaia, the black-footed cat (Courtesy of Utah’s Hogle Zoo)

That means that on average, of 10 attempts at hunting their prey, the black-footed cat will be successful on six of those tries, a remarkable rate of success among wild cats.

Gaia’s arrival marks an important step in the conservation of her species, according to zoo officials. Black-footed cats can reportedly be found in the arid eastern parts of Namibia, Central and Southern Botswana, and South Africa.

They are predominantly nocturnal, and the species’ status in the wild is “often challenging due to its shyness and preference for nighttime activity,” according to Hogle Zoo.

Gaia was brought to the zoo based on a breeding recommendation from the Black-Footed Cat Consortium. There are reportedly only 29 black-footed cats in the Consortium, but zoo officials hope that successful breeding will significantly help the program.

Gaia is only 8 months old, but though she is small in size, her personality is “large and feisty,” a release states.

There is a male black-footed cat, Ryder, currently at the zoo. Officials said Ryder’s introduction to Gaia is “in the cards, but we’ll let these two feline friends get acquainted when Gaia reaches maturity.”

Gaia is settling into her new home in the Small Animal Building. Zoo officials said you might notice curtains or barriers around her space for now.

“We appreciate your help in keeping noise low while she gets acquainted,” the release states.

Feel free to visit Utah’s Hogle Zoo to see Gaia!

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