Caracals

The caracal is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia and Africa.  The word caracal comes from the Turkish word “karakulak”, meaning “black ear”.

Although it has traditionally had the alternative names Persian Lynx, Egyptian Lynx, and African Lynx, it is no longer considered to be an actual lynx.  Instead, it is now believed to be closely related to the African golden cat and the serval.

The caracal’s life expectancy is around 12 years in the wild and up to 17 years in captivity.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The caracal is a slender, yet muscular, cat, with long legs and a short tail which is not quite a third of its body length.  Males typically weigh between 30 and 40 pounds, while females weigh about 24 pounds.

The color of the caracal’s fur varies between wine-red, grey, and sand-colored.  Young caracals bear reddish spots on their undersides; adults do not have markings except for black spot s above their eyes and small white patches around their eyes and nose.  The underside of the caracal’s chin and body are white, and a narrow black line runs from the corner of its eye to its nose.

The pupils of a caracal’s eyes contract to form circles rather than the slits found in most small cats.  The most conspicuous feature of the caracal is its elongated, tufted black ears.  A juvenile will have black on the outside of the ears, which disappears as it becomes an adult.  The caracal’s ears, which it uses to locate prey, are controlled by 29 different muscles.

HABITAT

The caracal’s chief habitat is dry steppes and semi-deserts, but it also inhabits woodlands, savannah, and scrub forest.  They generally prefer open country, so long as there is sufficient cover from which to ambush prey.

BEHAVIOR

The caracal is largely nocturnal, but it is sometimes seen by day, particularly in the cooler portions of its range.

The caracal diet includes birds, rodents, and other small mammals.  It is best known for its spectacular skill at hunting birds.  Caracals are able to snatch a bird in flight – sometimes more than one at a time.  If no cover is available in which to conceal itself, a caracal may flatten itself against the ground and remain motionless, allowing its coat color to act as camouflage.

Caracals produce the usual range of sounds for cats, including growling, hissing, purring, and calling. Unusually, they also make a barking sound, which is possibly used as a warning.