This strange-looking, exotic creature, named Kayajubi (African Bantu Swahili for Monkey Cat) has a long history behind it.
Rumored as a bringer of bad fortune, he has for centuries been hunted by African tribes and either killed on sight or sacrificed to the goddess of fortune, Yoruban.
The Monkey Cat, or Kayajubi, lives in the deepest parts of the forests.
Monkey cats are nocturnal, hunting mainly at night and sleeping during the day.
Their diet consists of small insects, birds and their eggs, mice, fruits, berries, and slugs.
Because of their long monkey-like limbs, they can easily climb up to the highest branches of a tree, thus enabling them to escape potentially dangerous predators and also reach birds’ nests to steal their eggs from.
Most monkey cats have a short, silky fur covering their bodies and a thick lion-like mane around their heads.
That is the main reason why they were named monkey cats.
Long claws and small sharp, pointed teeth assist the Kayajubi in catching it’s prey.
Because of the growing numbers of human population, the Kayajubi is in danger of becoming extinct.
Local organizations as well as international ones are fighting to save the last of its kind.
You can see the Kayajubi in the local Animal Wildlife Reserve in Kenya, as well as make a donation to help support the fight against its extinction.