Striped offspring in the Oberrabenstein game reserve
Wildcats from Oberrabenstein make an important contribution to educational work
More kittens have been born at the Oberrabenstein wildlife enclosure. The breeding pair of European wildcats that have been living together since the end of 2019 have given birth for the second time. On 25 March, the keepers discovered three kittens next to their mother in the enclosure's litter box. The sex of the animals is not yet known and can only be determined at the first cub examination.
After nine weeks of gestation, the cat can give birth to three to five kittens. This takes place in a safe hiding place, as the kittens are blind for about nine days. In the first few weeks, the chance of discovering the kittens outside the whelping box is also rather small. The main activity time of wildcats only begins after sunset. However, with a bit of luck, the kittens can now also be seen in the outdoor enclosure.
Incidentally, the European wildcat is not the ancestral form of our domestic cats. These are originally descended from the African wildcat (hawkcat). European wildcats are larger than domestic cats. A wild cat (male) can weigh up to eight kilograms. Another distinguishing feature is the bushy tail, about 30 centimetres long, which has three distinct black rings and ends in a blunt black tip. In the distribution area of the wild cat, however, cross-breeding with domestic cats - so-called dazzlers - can occur. However, these have little chance of survival under the living conditions in the wild.
Wildcats from Oberrabenstein make an important contribution to educational work
On 21 April, two female European wildcats left the Oberrabenstein wildlife enclosure for Plauen. There they found a new home at the Pfaffengut Plauen. The Vogtland Environment and Nature Conservation Centre located there has created an adventure trail on the subject of "European wildcats" as part of its exhibition. And the two animals from Oberrabenstein have now moved into the corresponding enclosure. They were born in April 2020 and were the first offspring of the new breeding pair in the wildlife enclosure.
Chemnitz Zoo and Oberrabenstein Wildlife Park were happy to give the two animals to the centre. Educational work is also a core task of zoological institutions. And this should also be supported in other institutions.
www.tierpark-chemnitz.de
Opening hours in June:
Zoo: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., last admission 6 p.m.
Game enclosure: 8 am to 6 pm, last admission 5 pm