Caracal

Afrikaans name: Rooikat

Caracal have big ears tipped with hair

Photo © stuporter - Fotolia.com

Caracal caracal

Interesting facts about Caracals

The Caracal is a beautiful creature with its distinctive tufted ears. It is widely distributed across Africa and occurs in Asia as far as India. This cat is called a Desert Lynx in some parts of its range.

Caracals are solitary animals and are not often seen. They are only seen with other Caracals when mating or they have their young with them. They are most active at night but sometimes they coume out during the day.

They hunt a variety of mammals and birds and are able to kill antelope the size of a Springbok. Unfortunately they sometimes kill smaller livestock on farms which leads to them being hunted or poisoned.

Females can give birth to up to 6 kittens. The young are raised by the female and stay with her for about a year.

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References and further reading

African Wildlife - A photographic safari - Author: Nigel and Wendy Dennis - Year Published: 1999 - Page: 68

Africa's Big Cats and Other Carnivores - Author: Nigel Dennis - Year Published: 2001 - Page: 66

An Introduction to the Larger Mammals of Southern Africa - Author: Joanna Dalton - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 119

Animals of the Kruger National Park - Author: G. de Graaff - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 34

Chris and Tilde Stuart's Field Guide to the Mammals of Southern Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Chris and Tilde Stuart - Year Published: 1988 - Page: 154

Field Guide to the Cradle of Humankind - Author: B. Hilton-Barber & Prof. L. R. Berger - Year Published: 2004 - Page: 154

Field Guide to the Larger Mammals of Africa - 1st Edition - Author: Chris and Tilde Stuart - Year Published: 1997 - Page: 284

Field Guide to the Mammals of Southern Africa - 3rd Edition - Author: Chris and Tilde Stuart - Year Published: 2001 - Page: 154

Field Guide to the Mammals of the Kruger National Park - Author: U. de V. Pienaar et al. - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 94

Kruger National Park Questions and Answers - Author: P.F. Fourie - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 262

Land Mammals of Southern Africa - A field guide - Author: Reay HN Smithers - Year Published: 1986 - Page: 101

Mammals of Southern Africa - Author: Burger Cillier - Year Published: 1987 - Page: 53

Mammals of the Kruger and other National Parks - Author: The National Parks Board - Year Published: 1980 - Page: 28

Questions and Answers - Mammals of Southern Africa - Author: Deirdre Richards - Year Published: 1990 - Page: 4

Reader's Digest Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of Southern Africa - 2nd edi - Author: Editor - Alan Duggan - Year Published: 1991 - Page: 417

Sasol First Field Guide to Animal Tracks of Southern Africa - Author: Louis Liebenberg - Year Published: 2003 - Page: 39

Signs of the Wild - 3rd Edition - Author: Clive Walker - Year Published: 1986 - Page: 109

Signs of the Wild - 5th Edition - Author: Clive Walker - Year Published: 1996 - Page: 104

Wild Issue 24 - Author: - Year Published: 2013 - Page: 44

Wildlife of Southern Africa - Author: Martin Withers and David Hosking - Year Published: 2011 - Page: 210

List of South African Mammals