Caracals are wild felines. It is also called the Step lynx or Egyptian lynx due to its resemblance to the lynx.
Stop what you’re doing because we’ve found the world’s cutest cat species! Meet the baby caracals! The gorgeous beasts were sacred to the Egyptians. Their statues were considered to guard the pharaohs’ tombs.
Caracals inhabit Africa, the Middle East, and India. Adults can sprint up to 50 mph and weigh up to 18 kg. Caracals can be domesticated and kept as pets. Nonetheless, it may be unlawful in some countries, so double-check before you buy one!
Like a regular house cat, but with a twist, right?
It was called Felis caracal by the German scientist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1776. Why von Schreber picked a Turkish-inspired moniker is unknown. After that, in 1843, John Edward Gray discovered that caracules were a distinct breed and could not be grouped with domestic cats and their near relatives. Caracal thus became a genus. The name is an analogue to the moniker “lynx of the desert”.
Only one species of caracal survives today, and it is not threatened. This unique ear anatomy may be linked to both hearing and language.
Despite being called the desert lynx, the caracal lacks several of the morphological characteristics of the lynx family, such as the facial ruff. It has a short, dense coat that ranges from tawny-brown to brick-red, with some black (melanistic) individuals.
The backs of the ears are black with 1.75-inch long black tufts. This tuft is a feature of caracals and lynxes. It is the largest and most ferocious of Africa’s tiny cats. Males can weigh up to 40 pounds, females up to 35. They are 35–39 inches long and 16–20 inches tall at the shoulder.
Caracals prefer arid savannah and woodland habitats in Sub-Saharan Africa. evergreen and highland forests, but not tropical rain forests.
Regions: CSWA, SWA, WSA, SW Asia, ME Females have a litter of 1–4 kittens after a 78–81 day gestation period, with 2 being the norm. Incubation lasts 6–10 days. They start opening their eyes on their first day of life. They are weaned at 10 weeks and nursed for up to a year.
Sexual maturity is at 12–16 months. Caracals live up to 19 years in captivity.
Except for mothers with kittens, caracals are solitary animals who rarely interact socially. Hear our grunts and purrs here.
Caracals eat a range of species, including rodents, hares, hyraxes, and small antelope. Unlike other small African cats, caracals will kill larger prey like adult springboks or young Kudu.
Caracals, like leopards, have been recorded keeping their kills in trees on occasion. However, they have been seen in the daytime in protected regions.
Principal Threats: Caracals are killed mostly for livestock predation, which occurs in only a handful of their territories (2,219 animals in one area alone). It is hunted for its skin and meat, which some bush cultures consider a luxury.
TAG 2003: Caracals (Caracal caracal). Caracals are managed through an international studbook. The latest imports are from Namibia. North America can eventually sustain a pure subspecies. The TAG intended the Asian race from Turkmenistan for the RCP, but only inbred hybrids were found in North America.
Most likely, no part of this race is available in this region. The PMP population objective is 80 people.
Is this cat rare? Globally, 169 species are held in zoos, with 52 in the US.
