Common Name: Caracal

Scientific Name: Felis caracal

Description: This lesser cat is covered with a deep tawny to reddish brown coat. The underside is cream with light tawny spots. Most notable are the long tufted ears of the caracal. The lengthier tuft's droop being as long as 4 cm or more. You can see one of the caracals that was born in the zoo at the Safari Canyon presentation.

Range: Africa and Asia

Habitat: Predominantly savannah but thrives in a variety of habitats.

Diet: Carnivorous: small prey. Rodents are frequent, but the caracal is best known for catching multiple birds in a single stalk. Eastern peoples have been known to train them to hunt birds. Prey as substantial as small antelope are occasionally taken by this lesser cat.

Social Life: Unfortunately, extensive information is not known. Lone individuals are typically sighted. Family groups, however, have also been seen. Litters range from 1 to 6 after an average gestation of 74 days. Mothers use other animals burrows and natural recesses as den sites. Maturity is reached between ages one and two. Longevity has exceeded fifteen years in captivity.

Conservation: Asian caracals listed as Appendix I on CITES.

Recommended LINKS & BOOKS

Africam's Field Guide page on caracals.

World Conservation Union's caracal info

Click here to see live images from Africa. You can even win prizes for the best picture!

Dr. David Macdonald's Encyclopedia of Mammals is one of the great standards for mammal information including the cats. Purchase it through Amazon.com by clicking on the photo to help the zoo!

Another excellent text on African mammals is The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals.

Walker's Mammals of the World Although the photos are mixed quality black and white, this two volume set has great text.