INFO:

Can you identify this small wild cat species? This is a Caracal, they’re one of the 30 species of small wild cats. A defining trait of caracals is the black tuffs of fur on the tips of their ears. It’s believed that these black tufts may enhance the sound that enter their ears. It’s also believed the black tufts are a way caracals communicate with each other. It’s not often you’ll spot a caracal as they are mostly solitary & prefer to go unnoticed by humans. They could easily be in the area & you’d have no idea due to the stiff fur cushioning on the bottom of their paws, making them nearly silent. Capturing them on camera traps lets us know they frequent the reserve & possibly how many are hiding away in the dense acacia brush. Caracals have a wide habitat range; they can be found in woodlands, savannas, jungles, deserts & mountainous terrain. Caracals are opportunistic predators hunting animals such as rodents, monkeys, birds & even small antelope. A few months ago, while driving around the reserve one of our team members noticed a kill off the side of the road. After inspecting the kill it’s believed it was from a caracal hunt early in the morning. Caracals are classified as least concern by the IUCN Red List, but their population size in the wild is unknown, making it impossible to know if they are at risk or not. Caracals do face many threats such as being seen as pests, especially in farming communities as caracal’s do kill livestock & as the human communities expand caracal habitats shrink, creating more wildlife-human conflict. They are also hunted for their skins & as luxury bush meat. Like & Share This Post To Teach Others About Caracals & The Work VETPAW Does.