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Caracal
(Latin = Felis caracal, Afrikaans = Rooikat, German = Karakal)

Numbers: Fairly high

Weight > 8 - 20 kg

18 - 44 lb.

Shoulder height> 40 - 45 cm

16 – 18 in.

Pregnancy time : 65 + days

Cub quantity : Up to 5

Found everywhere in South Africa, except in the most northern coastal area of the Atlantic Ocean (in the North Cape Province) and the most northern coastal area of the Indian Ocean (in the KwaZulu-Natal Province). It is also not found in the eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The rooikat isn’t a big cat, but looks can be deceiving, for this little cat have been reported killing an full grown impala! Of course that isn’t his usual behaviour. But hunting dogs of twice the size of the caracal have met their end when trying to take it on in a direct fight. His lightning claws are used to overpowered his prey. He shares with the leopard the art of ambush and stalk. His charactaristic ears, with it’s long antenna-like patch of black hair growing from the back ear upwards, identifies him strongly as a very beautiful and unique creature. The caracal isn’t usually found in the same surroundings as the bigger cats or hyena. In some areas the caracal is named in the same league as the jackal as a sheep and goat killing pestilence, but it is pretty satisfied with a diet of monkeys, large birds, snakes or, naturally, defenceless fawns of antelopes or young baboons. It sometimes change a diet of fauna for a more floral one like wild fruit.