'Ghostly' Saharan cheetah filmed in Niger, Africa

One of the world's most elusive cats has been photographed by a night time camera trap, after a year-long search for the animal. The ghostly image of the Saharan cheetah has excited conservationists, as perhaps fewer than 10 of the cats survive in the deserts of Termit, Niger, where the photograph was taken. Almost nothing is known of the Saharan cheetah, except that it endures extremely high temperatures and appears to survive without a permanent source of water.

bbc

It is good to know that an animal this rare is still out there. They may or may not be to far gone to make a come back some day. Follow the link above and it will take you to a page with a photo on it. It is really a ghostly image.

reply to post by RedGolem


From source.
That's pretty spooky. Amazing creature.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6a9c4b5df3d9.jpg[/atsimg]

wild looking cat. I bet it would be weird seeing them run around in the desert at night.

A touch of mange, and the right lighting, and we have ourselves a Chupacabra sighting!

--- In all seriousness though, I love that we are occasionally pleasantly surprised to see animals we believed to be extinct still surviving.... even if it is just a glimpse. .... it's probably better that way!

reply to post by RedGolem
Nice find!

Great pics with that article, the sand cat is pretty cool looking. The one cat looks like an Egyptian Sphinx Cat.

Star and Flag!
Merry Christmas!

Many thanks to all of your kind words and comments!
I agree it would be cool to see one of these cats some time. I hope they will live so more people can see them.

thanks for sharing the pic, that's really cool, I;ve seen some cool stuff at night & day too.. DDR ~

reply to post by RedGolem


Wow, it's beautiful! I love it when such animals "come back from the dead." I'm sure they knew there were a few out there somewhere, but proof is wonderful.

Now, let's hope definitive proof of the Tasmanian Tiger surfaces. That's one I'm really rooting for.

This is also proof that all kinds of things are probably lurking out there and we just don't have a clue.

reply to post by gemineye


Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I would like to see many animals come back from the brink but it will more then likely be a rarity if it ever happens.

fewer than 10 of the cats survive in the deserts of Termit, Niger that is not many they were very lucky to have caught this one on film beautiful animal..

Man, that Saharan Cheetah is a really cool looking cat. Nice find and thanks for sharing it RedGolem! What really stands out for me is the length of its legs, imagine the speeds that thing could reach with them. And with only 10 (or less?) of them remaining in the wild, being able to see a picture really is a treat. For all we know, we may never see one again.

The picture of the Fennec makes me chuckle. Those ears are immense!

reply to post by RedGolem


I think that more people seeing them would run directly counter to there being more of them, unfortunately. Niger is a goddamned poor place, even for Africa. Someone sees a cat like this, and their first thought is likely to wonder how much money that pelt could catch so they could feed their families.