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You are here: Home > Wildlife > Mammals > Caracal
WILDLIFE: MAMMALS: CARACAL
Class: Mammals
Order: Carnivores
Family: Felids
Genus and species: Felis caracal
Common name:
English: Caracal, African lynx
Swahili: Simba mangu
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Identification
Body: the largest and more robust of all small felines. Long limbs, especially the hind legs. Big paws. Coat smooth and shiny, uniform in colour that ranges from sand-tawny to brown-rufous. Underparts whitish with slight traces of spots. Melanistic (black) varieties have been recorded. Height at shoulder: 45 cm. Length: 66-91 cm. Tail: 25-35 cm, shorter than in any other African cat. Weight: males 10-18 kg, females 8-12 kg. Cubs are similar to adults in general look, but more greyish in colour.
Head: flat, with powerful jaws. Its more distinctive feature is the dark tufts in the tip of the long and pointed ears, reason why it is also known as African lynx. The back and edge of ears are black. There is a black spot in the side of the face and a black line between eye and nose, both surrounded by white markings.
Distribution and ecology
Widely distributed but quite uncommon. Inhabits open forest, bush plains, semi-arid shrub savannah, rocky countries and stony hills, but never dense woodland.
Food
The caracal's diet is composed mainly of small animals: mammals (hares, hyraxes and rodents), reptiles (lizards) and birds (francolins, Guinea fowls, doves). It is agile enough to jump over flying birds. The caracal also dares to stalk larger prey, small antelopes such as steinbok, klipspringer and impala, that it kills by strangling same as big cats. Once the killing is fulfilled, the caracal may cover dead prey with vegetation or hide it inside a tree. In occasions it will also feed on carrion. Near human settlings, it can be a pest for henhouses and small cattle, reason why it has been intensely chased by man.
Behaviour
Nocturnal, although sometimes it can be seen by day, hunting in the early morning or at dusk. It is mainly terrestrial but can also climb trees, especially when escaping from predators. It moves loosely through rocky country, where it can spend the day hidden among the rocks. Solitary and territorial, sets its boundaries by spraying shrubs with urine mixed with anal gland secretions. It is mostly silent, but can communicate using a hoarse yap. Its relative small size makes it a putative victim of larger predators, specifically leopards and possibly lions. Great eagles can prey on cubs. Its longevity is 8-10 years.
Reproduction
It can procreate all year round, though the peak of births is in the rain season. Gestation lasts 2-2.5 months. The cubs, from 1 to 4 in each litter, are delivered under cover and hidden in rock crevices or hollow trees. Two weeks later they open their eyes, and at 4-6 weeks they start eating meat. They are weaned at 5 months and at 1 year they leave their mother to seek their own territory.
Related species
Golden cat (Felis aurata): similar in size to caracal, but longer and with dark spots in the underparts. Colour brown, from reddish to greyish. Solitary, terrestrial and nocturnal. Inhabits woodlands. Fairly uncommon, in Kenya only found in Mau and Mount Elgon forests.
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Wildlife