Details
Caracal caracal
The caracal is a solitary cat of savannas and dry country. Mostly nocturnal, it uses agile leaps to catch birds and small mammals.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses open savanna, semidesert, and dry scrub. It favors landscapes where cover for stalking is mixed with broad hunting ground.
Body length is about 62-91 cm and weight about 8-19 kg. Long black ear tufts, a reddish coat, and slender legs give it strong vertical jumping ability.
Nocturnal and solitary, it patrols a home range with little noise. By day it rests in rocks or dense cover, then ranges widely after dark.
It is carnivorous, eating rodents, hares, birds, and similar prey. When hunting birds, it may spring upward and strike with the forepaws.
Pairs come together briefly for breeding. Kittens are raised in a hidden den and learn hunting distance and timing from the mother.
Its status is listed as Least Concern. It is well adapted to dry landscapes, though conflict around livestock can affect it locally.
