Caracal - Caracal caracal

Exotic and graceful, the caracal earns its name from the distinctive long black tufts on the tips of their ears, whose origin is in the Turkish 'karakulak', meaning black ear.
 
HABITAT: Caracals have a broad range, and can be found across Asia and Africa where it lives in a range of habitats including forests, scrubland and semi-desert. As can be expected from a species with such a wide distribution, there are several geographically distinct subspecies present across their range.

CHARACTERISTICS: A medium sized cat, they are fine and slender with long legs and a short coat that varies in colour from pale golden brown to a darker red/brown. Black caracals also sometimes occur. Their fur is white on their chin and underbelly and throat and the tips of its long tufted ears are black. Caracals typically weigh around 10 - 20kg, and measure from 0.8 - 1.3m in length (including the tail), and about 0.45m at the shoulder.

BIOLOGY: Swift and agile, caracals are renowned for their exceptional leaps of up to 3m, and can even catch birds in flight. The fastest cat of its size, caracals can bring down prey up to three times its own size and use their impressive speed to hunt down antelope, hyraxes and hares. A solitary animal, the caracal does not appear to have a set breeding period and will give birth at any time of the year. Litter size is usually three kittens (but can vary from 1-6) which are born after a gestation period of 68-81 days. Young are independent within a year.

CONSERVATION STATUS: With a wide geographic distribution, the caracal is not generally regarded as under threat and is listed as Least Concern.