Utah
World’s deadliest — but most adorable — cat arrives at Utah Zoo: ‘feisty personality’
Small, but feisty!
Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomed an eight-month-old black-footed cat, Gaia, who is considered to be the deadliest cat on the planet.
“At just 8 months old, she is small in size but large in her feisty personality,” the Salt Lake City-based zoo said on Dec. 28.
The adorable petite species, listed as the smallest species of a wild cat in Africa, is known for its amazing survival abilities — recording a hunting success rate of 60%, according to Smithsonian Mag.
Utah’s Hogle Zoo brought in Gaia after being briefed by the Black-Footed Cat Consortium for breeding purposes.
There are only a total of 29 black-footed cats in the Consortium, but with successful breeding — the Zoo believes it will “significantly contribute to the program.”
Breeding for the nocturnal cat is imperative due to them being a “vulnerable species,” the Felidae Conservation Fund mentions
Black-footed cats, located in Namibia, Central and Southern Botswana and South Africa, typically measure around eight inches and weigh from two to five pounds.
The cat’s moniker “black-footed” gets the name from having black and dark brown soles, or pads, found on the cat’s fur.
The Utah Hogle Zoo is already home to another black-footed cat Ryder, who has yet to meet his fellow feline due to Gaia’s young age.
Gaia’s arrival comes four months after the Hogle Zoo’s record-breaking cat, Sanura, died.
Sanura was the oldest black-footed cat in accredited zoos at 18.5 years old.
She died from multiple age-related symptoms, the zoo announced in September.
“Sanura was a loved animal in the Small Animal Building and will be greatly missed,” the zoo said. She was known for her sassy personality and perfect “grumpy cat” side eye glare. Some of her favorite things were taking dirt baths, watching the tortoises out of her window, and making dens in piles of hay.”
The Hogle Zoo is home to a variety of animals from diverse ecosystems.
The zoo is a non-profit, accredited organization with a mission to create champions for wildlife, according to its website.
KANOSH, Utah — The United States Geological Survey recorded multiple earthquakes near Kanosh Sunday morning, each of them having an average magnitude of 3.0.
The first earthquake, magnitude 3.0, was detected just after 12:30 a.m., with the epicenter located half a mile south of Kanarraville.
The second quake, magnitude 3.2, was detected around 5:45 a.m., with the epicenter nearly five miles south-southwest of Kanosh. This was followed by two more quakes in the same area, a magnitude 2.5 quake coming in around 6:35 a.m., followed by a third around 7:45 a.m, which measured at magnitude 3.3.
This has since been followed by another quake, measuring at magnitude 3.7, being detected around 8:45 a.m. The geographic location in the USGS report places the epicenter approximately over two miles south of the Dry Wash Trail, about six miles south-southwest of Kanosh.
FOX 13 News previously spoke with researchers at University of Utah, who said that earthquake swarms are relatively common. A study published in 2023 posits that swarms may be triggered by geothermal activity. The findings came after a series of seismic swarms were detected in central Utah, within the vicinity of three geothermal power plants.
The study also says that the swarms fall into a different category than aftershocks that typically follow large quakes, such as the magnitude 5.7 earthquake that hit the Wasatch Fault back in 2020.
Utah
Embattled Utah Rep. Trevor Lee loses county GOP convention — but wins enough support to make primary
Earlier in the week, House Speaker Mike Schultz said lawmakers asked the attorney general to investigate allegations of fraud and bribery against Lee.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, running for reelection, addresses delegates during the Davis County Republican Party nominating convention at Syracuse High School on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
Also from Utah Eats: A Utah baker ends his run on a Food Network competition; Lucky Slice’s territory grows.
(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Yeti, a Himalayan-themed bar in Cottonwood Heights, is pictured on Wednesday, April 8, 2026.
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