Caracal
wildlife of Namibia
Introduction - The name Caracal is derived from a Turkish word "karakulak" meaning "black ear." The Caracal was once tamed and trained for bird hunting in Iran and India. They were put into arenas containing a flock of pigeons, and wagers were made as to how many the cat would take down. This is the origination of the expression "to put a cat amongst the pigeons." The Caracal is capable of leaping into the air and knocking down 10-12 birds at one time!
Habitat - Caracals live in the drier savannah and woodland regions of sub-Saharan Africa, and prefer the more scrubby, arid habitats. One of the places you can frequently see Caracal in Namibia is at Okonjima Bush Camp on the Africat property
Diet - The caracal diet includes birds, rodents, and other small mammals.
Colouring - This small cat has dense short reddish-brown fur. The under parts of chin and body are white, and a narrow black line runs from the corner of the eye to the nose. Its ears are long, narrow and tipped with long black tufts of black hair.
Breeding - The young may be born at various times of year. A gestation period of 69-78 days is reported, and three young per litter are the norm (up to five kittens are possible). Litters may be born and hidden in abandoned burrows, ant-bear holes, rock crevices or hollow trees.
Size - Female caracal are a bit smaller than their male counterparts that reach a shoulder height of 45 cm and a weight of 15 kg.
