Cats of Africa
Caracal
Caracal caracal
Caracals prey on birds, small rodents and other small mammals.
We do not know how many caracals are left in the wild, but we do know that 2,219 caracals are killed in just one area of Africa, mostly because of livestock predation. (By clicking the picture above you will be redirected to a page that shows the hunting trophies of caracals from 2010 - 2014).
After a gestation of approximately 78-81 days, females produce a litter of 1-4 kittens, with 2 being the average.
At birth the newborns weigh approximately 6.98- 8.8 ounces and are born in a burrow, crevice, or dense patch of brush. They begin to open their eyes on their first day of life, but it takes 6-10 days for them to completely open. They are weaned at 10 weeks, and will remain with their mothers for up to a year.
The primary threat for this cat is livestock predation and also in some areas of its range, it fights hunting for its skin and for its meat, which some bush tribes consider to be a luxury.
Their habitat is in the drier savannah and woodland regions of sub-Saharan Africa, and they prefer the more scrubby, arid habitats. They will also inhabit evergreen and montane forests, but are not found in tropical rain forests.
Caracals are remarkable jumpers, and can jump up to 10 feet into the air to knock flushed birds down with their paw. Ten to a dozen pigeons at one time can be taken this way, and the caracal was once tamed and trained for bird hunting in India and Iran.
Between 1931-1952, an average of 2,219 caracals per year (24,409 in the 11 years) were killed in South Africa during predator control operations. Namibian farmers responding to a government questionnaire reported killing up to 2,800 Caracals in 1981.
Radio telemetry studies found adult male home ranges to be 19.26-40.38 miles squared, with those of females’ being 2.48- 19.26 miles squared. Males have a home range that overlaps those of several females.
Like most species of cat, the caracal is predominantly nocturnal, travelling up to 12.42 miles per night in search of food. Vocalizations are few, mainly growls and spits in anger, and a loud barking sound used to call their partners. As with other desert animals, their sight and hearing are very good and they have a moderate sense of smell.
