From: Kieran Avery <ruabora@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: 2012-06-11 20:50
Subject: Re: Seeking information on encounters in Kenya and Tanzania with African
Dear Tom
I am writing in response to your email regarding golden cat sitings. My dad and I had our only ever siting of a golden cat in July last year (2011) on Mount Elgon. Having got our vehicle stuck on a very muddy precipice, which took us 4 ours to get out from, we drove back to camp in the dark and were lucky enough to see a golden cat crossing in the spotlights. It was grey in colour and heavily built; unfortunately it didn't hang around long enough for us to get a photo... It's amazing how often nightmare situations end up rewarding you with something special!
Details of siting are:
Date = Mid-July 2011
Location = Mount Elgon NP Kenya, coordinates: 34 degree 45 minute E, 1 degree 5 minute N
Altitude = 9000ft
Vegetation type = "Mixed forest" - mainly cedar and olive
Colour = Grey
Observers = Kieran Avery and Sean Avery
It had been very wet and the ground was swamped. Other than this golden cat we saw very few animals on that trip and it appears Elgon NP is in a really bad way; we walked to all of the caves and not one had been visited in recent times by elephants. We climbed to Koitobos peak which was lovely and there was fresh Eland, Zebra and leopard spore up there. The bird life was great! I can send a list of what we saw in a separate email if anyone is interested?
I hope this is useful.
Kieran
Kieran Avery BVSc MRCVSVeterinary Surgeon
Larkmead Veterinary Group
Tel: 07876453989