Caracal

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

The Caracal is a medium-sized cat with long legs and a short tail (23-32 cm). The body profile is quadratic. The head-body length is 62-82 cm, the height at the shoulder about 45 cm. The weight is 8-14 kg with large males being up to 18 kg. Females are lighter than the males.

There are characteristic dark spots on both sides of the muzzle and two short vertical bars above the eyes. The ears are set fairly close together. They are large and pointed with long erect tufts of hair (about 50 mm) on the tips. The backsides are entirely black or with frosting of white hairs.

The coat is dense; short and close at the back, longer, looser and woollier on the belly. It is uniformly brick red or reddish sandy coloured, without traces of patter, except some faint spots on the underside of the chest, and buffy stripes on the inner side of the fore limbs. The under parts are creamy buff.

Caracals are mainly nocturnal and solitary. They hunt for small to medium sized prey species like dassies, springhares, birds, mongoose, mountain reedbuck, jackal and rodents, and they may cause damage to small livestock farmers by killing sheep and goat lambs. They kill with a bite to the neck.

After a gestation period of approximately 69–78 days the female gives birth to a litter of 2-6, most frequently 3, kittens, which are are weaned at about 10 weeks.

Did you know?
that a caracals' ears are each controlled by about 20 muscles to help these hunters better determine where prey is hiding and that the tufts of fur offer an added advantage in pinpointing prey?

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	CARNIVORA
Suborder	FISSIPEDIA
Family	FELIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Caracal caracal
Name (English)	Caracal
Name (French)	Caracal
Name (German)	Karakal
Name (Spanish)	Caracal
Local names	Afrikaans: Rooikat Damara: !Hab chiShona: Hwang, twana ciVenda: Thwani Hindi: Siyeh gush kiSwahili: Simba mangu isiNdebele: Indabutshe, intwane isiXhosa: Ingqawa, ngada isiZulu: Indabushe seTswana: Thwane siLozi: Twani xiTsonga: Nandani Yei: shilizabul Nama
CITES Status	Appendix I (Asia), Appendix II (Africa)
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
Nick & Melissa Baker

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Subsaharan Africa, North Africa, Central Asia, South-west Asia
Habitat	Dry areas, but also woodlands, savanna, hilly areas, and scrubland, absent only from the tropical rainforests
Wild population	Unknown (Red List IUCN 2011), but the Caracal is widely distributed and relatively common, except for some Asian subspecies.
Zoo population	314 registered by the International studbook (2004), 140 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

Transport crates should be sufficiently large to meet legal requirements and sufficiently strong to prevent escape or damage to the crate and animal. Basic design should allow free flow of air through multiple sides of the container. Preferably, a double door design at least on one end of the crate should be used. The "inner" door should have bars or wire mesh to contain the animal, and the "outer" door should consist of a thin panel of expanded metal or plywood that provides safety for the handlers and isolation for the animal. The doors should travel vertically to facilitate animal transfer and contain a secure locking system. The crate should drain well, and absorbent bedding should be used to prevent the animal from being exposed to or lying in urine or excreta.

The shipment should be organised in a way to minimise stress. The animal should have access to its transport crate for 2 weeks before shipment, preferably being fed within it. If an extended trip is anticipated, water and food as may be required should be provided while the animal is in transit.

For air transport, Container Note 82 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

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Photo Copyright by
Leafyplant

Why do zoos keep this animal

The caracal is threatened in parts of its range but not in others. The Asian population is listed in CITES Appendix I, i.e. importing animals from Asia is difficult or impossible. With a view of establishing a self-sustained zoo pupulation an International Studbook was established in 1987 under the WAZA umbrella, and American zoos maintain now a regional breeding programme. The caracal is an attractive cat and makes a good ambassador species for its desert and semi-desert habitats.

How this animal should be kept

Minimum space requirements: Caracals need an outdoor enclosure of at least 50 m² per pair, or a female with offspring if kept separate. Covered enclosures should be at least 3 m high. In colder climatic zones, an indoor enclosure of at least 25 m² per pair is necessary, where a minimum temperature of 10°C should be maintained and at least one cubbing or isolation den should be provided.

Outdoor enclosures should be well drained. They should have natural soil with a grass cover or a layer of sand or marly limestone, or concrete or epoxy covered with sand or soil planted in places with grass or low bushes. Enclosures must not be empty but suitably furnished to meet the caracals' needs such as the following: Visual barriers to enable the caracals to hide from one another, e.g. rises/dips in the ground, logs, rocks, plantings, but these should not allow one cat to corner another, there should always be an escape route. Rock cavities, or similar structures for hiding and resting. Trees for scratching and shade. Elevated structures, such as rocks or boards, for sitting on and overlooking a view. Plants that smell strong and/or attract insects add interest. There must be several resting places providing some protection from inclement weather.

The diet must be as varied as possible including freshly killed small fully-feathered birds (day-old chicks, pigeons)and small mammals (rats, mice guinea pigs), and meat with mineral and vitamin supplement.

Caracals may be kept together as a pair, only to be separated when the female is giving birth and while raising small kittens. The offspring should stay with their mother for not less than a year.