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File:Felis_silvestris_silvestris_Luc_Viatour.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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European wildcat

Also known as Felis silvestris, wildcats, wild cat, wild cats, wildcat

species of mammal

OverviewAI-generated

The European wildcat, scientifically known as Felis silvestris, is a species within the genus Felis. It is distinct from the feral cat and inhabits savannas and forests. The taxon has been present since the Piacenzian period. Common names for this organism include wildcat, Gato Montés, Gato Silvestre, and Chat sauvage.

According to the IUCN Red List, the species is classified as Least Concern, a status recorded in 2023. Biological records indicate a gestation period of 65 days and a longest observed lifespan of 19 years. The subject is referenced by 712 other encyclopedia articles.

Synthesized by Vinony from 16 facts across 3 sources: Wikidata, IUCN Red List, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Species

Least Concern

Chat sauvage Le Chat sauvage[4] (Felis silvestris) est une espèce de félins du genre Felis présent dans divers types d'habitats. Son aire de répartition couvre l’Europe, l’Asie occidentale et l’Afrique. Il est de taille moyenne à petite, son aspect est très variable selon les sous-espèces, mais en général sa robe est beige avec des rayures foncées. En 2007, une étude a ramené le nombre de ses sous-espèces à six, dont la plus commune est le chat domestique, contre plus d'une vingtaine auparavant[5]. Sommaire 1 Dénominations 2 Taxinomie 2.1 Évolution 2.2 Sous-espèces 2.3 Le chat domestique (Felis silvestris catus) 2.4 Le chat forestier (Felis silvestris silvestris) 2.5 Le chat ganté (Felis silvestris lybica) 3 Aspect, pelage 4 Habitat 5 Répartition 5.1 En France 5.2 En Suisse 6 Voir aussi 6.1 Articles connexes 6.2 Bibliographie 6.3 Liens externes 7 Notes et références Dénominations Nom scientifique valide : Felis silvestris Schreber 1777[1], Noms vulgaires (vulgarisation scientifique) recommandés ou typiques en français : Chat sauvage[6],[7],[8], Chat forestier[9],[6], Chat sauvage d'Europe[9], Autres noms vulgaires : Chat forestier européen[9], Chat sauvage européen[9], Chat sylvest

via IUCN

Wikidata facts

Instance of: taxon
Parent taxon: Felis
Image: Felis silvestris silvestris Luc Viatour.jpg

Show 11 more facts

taxon rank: species
taxon name: Felis silvestris
Commons category: Felis silvestris
IUCN conservation status: Least Concern
taxon common name: European wildcat
gestation period: 65
longest observed lifespan: 19
different from: feral cat
habitat: forest
short name: F. silvestris
temporal range start: Piacenzian

Sources (9)

via Wikidata · CC0

~18 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The European wildcat (Felis silvestris) is a small wildcat species that was described in the late 18th century. Its fur is brownish to grey with stripes on the forehead and on the sides. It has a bushy tail with a black tip. Its head-to-body length reaches up to 65 cm (26 in) with a 34.5 cm (13.6 in) long tail, and it weighs up to 7.5 kg (17 lb).

The European wildcat is native to continental Europe, Scotland, Turkey and the Caucasus. It primarily inhabits broad-leaved and mixed forests. In France and Italy, it is predominantly nocturnal, but also active in the daytime when undisturbed by human activities. It preys foremost on small mammals such as lagomorphs and rodents, but also on ground-dwelling birds.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “European wildcat” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.