The Black-footed cat Research Project, Namibia started in 2012, is looking at the distribution and conservation status of the black-footed cat (mierhoopstier; klein gekolde kat) in Namibia. The black- footed cat is the smallest and rarest of the African felids and little is known about its biology, behaviour and ecology. Also, the species is not legally protected in Namibia; it is merely scheduled as a 'wild animal' and enjoys little protection from prosecution and indirect mortality. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species recommends further distributional research in Namibia and more ecological studies in drier habitat more typical of the species predicted range (Sliwa 2008). It is rarely seen and recorded and hence not well studied. This species is of conservation concern because of few historical and recent records, its restricted and patchy distribution and possibly decreasing population (Sliwa 2008). Namibia's National Museum records indicate that few recent and historical records exist and that the distribution and habitat range of the species in Namibia is based on a predicted range map. Its distribution and conservation status has not yet been studied in Namibia. This species also forms part of Namibia's unique biodiversity and should be conserved as a flagship species of our arid south Namibia. The predicted range of the species extends large parts of Namibia, yet few locality records exist (e.g. only two confirmed museum records).