Camera Trap Records Rare Glimpse of African Golden Cat Hunting

An African golden cat, one of the least known and most elusive wild cats on the planet, has been filmed hunting in Kibale National Park, Uganda, for the first time, scientists say. In the video, which was recorded by a camera trap, an African golden cat darts toward a group of red colobus monkeys feeding on a tree stump. The cat’s attack is nearly too fast to be seen in real-time, but viewing the footage in slow-motion highlights the cat’s swiftness and accuracy — even though its ambush failed to land a meal. The African golden cat is found only in the forests of central and West Africa, and it is threatened across its range by intensive bushmeat hunting and habitat loss. Researchers say the video provides important details about the African golden cats’ hunting behavior that have never before been directly observed.