Guide Caracal

Contents:

Countries in Africa where caracal can be hunted

The rooikat preys mainly on birds, small mammals and reptiles, but has also been known to take medium-sized antelope such as the duiker or steenbok. Hunting the caracal is more often than not a chance encounter. A spotlight at night over bait can sometimes be effective.

You will probably have to shoot from a blind and be extremely still and quiet. Predator calls can also be employed and can be an effective method to getting this wary feline to show himself. While not legal everywhere, the caracal can be hunted with dogs in the Eastern Cape. Just about any small caliber centerfire rifle is adequate for the taking of this little cat.

Copilul de Aur, Florin Salam si Dorel din Caracal - Nunta Danut - partea 3

Females in oestrus show a spike in urine-marking, and form temporary pairs with males. Mating has not been extensively studied; limited number of observations suggest that copulation, that lasts nearly four minutes on an average, begins with the male smelling the areas urine-marked by the female, which rolls on the ground. Following this, he approaches and mounts the female.

The pair separates after copulation. Gestation lasts about two to three months, following which a litter consisting of one to six kittens is born. Births generally peak from October to February. Births take place in dense vegetation or deserted burrows of aardvarks and porcupines. Kittens are born with their eyes and ears shut and the claws not retractable unable to be drawn inside ; the coat resembles that of adults, but the abdomen is spotted.

Eyes open by ten days, but it takes longer for the vision to become normal.

The ears become erect and the claws become retractable by the third or the fourth week. Around the same time, the kittens start roaming their birthplace, and start playing among themselves by the fifth or the sixth week. They begin taking solid food around the same time; they have to wait for nearly three months before they make their first kill.

As the kittens start moving about by themselves, the mother starts shifting them everyday.

All the milk teeth appear in 50 days, and permanent dentition is completed in 10 months. Juveniles begin dispersing at nine to ten months, though a few females stay back with their mothers. In Africa, the caracal is widely distributed south of the Sahara, but considered rare in North Africa. In central, west, north, and northeast Africa and Asia, the major threat to the survival of the caracal is habitat loss due to agricultural expansion and desertification.

Caracal are often killed in retaliation for preying on small livestock. A survey revealed that the caracal was responsible for the elimination of nearly 5. During —52, the number of caracals killed averaged 2, per year in the Karoo. Some tribes kill it for its meat. However, Namibia and South Africa recognise it as a "problem animal" vermin and allow its hunting to protect livestock.

Countries in Africa where caracal can be hunted

Caracals occur in a number of protected areas across their range. Chinese emperors used caracals as gifts. In the 13th and the 14th centuries, Yuan dynasty rulers bought numerous caracals, cheetahs , and tigers from Muslim merchants in the western parts of the empire in return for gold, silver, cash, and silk.

According to the Ming Shilu , the subsequent Ming dynasty continued this practice. Until as recently as the 20th century, the caracal was used in hunts by Indian rulers to hunt small game, while the cheetah was used for larger game.

Trophy Hunting the Caracal

This probably gave rise to the expression "to put the cat among the pigeons". The caracal appears to have been religiously significant in the Egyptian culture , as it occurs in paintings and as bronze figurines; sculptures were believed to guard the tombs of pharaohs. Embalmed caracals have also been discovered. Its pelt was used for making fur coats. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the wild feline species. For other uses, see Caracal disambiguation.

International Union for Conservation of Nature. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press. The cat in ancient Egypt. University of Pennsylvania Press. Journal of Molecular Evolution. Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids: Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution. Retrieved 18 February XXV , , p. Walker's Mammals of the World 6th ed. The Behavior Guide to African Mammals: Including Hoofed Mammals, Carnivores, Primates 4th ed. University of California Press. Wild Cats of the World. University of Chicago Press. The Mammals of the Southern African Sub-region 3rd revised ed.

Cape Town, South Africa: Volume II, Part 2. Carnivora Hyaenas and Cats ]. Smithsonian Institution and the National Science Foundation. African Journal of Ecology. Journal of African Zoology.

Caracal fact file

The caracal (Caracal caracal) is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs. Caracals live on rocky hills or grasslands in the Middle East, Africa, and south Asia. The animal is one of more than 30 species of small wild cats. Tufts of hair on the tips of a caracal’s ears may enhance their hearing, making it easier for the cat to listen for prey.

South African Journal of Zoology. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A. The caracal is also the fastest cat of its size, and uses its speed to run down prey such as hyraxes, hares and small antelopes 2 6. This species is superbly adapted for life in arid environments and requires very little water, apparently getting adequate supplies from its food 1.

Caracals are usually solitary, and maintain territories which may vary between 5 and 48 square kilometres in South Africa, and up to 1, square kilometres in the Middle East 1 3. In the arid regions of Africa, the average home range size is around Male caracals possess the largest territories , which usually encompass the home ranges of several females. The caracal appears to breed throughout the year, although breeding is known to peak between October and February in South Africa 2. After a gestation period of around 68 to 81 days, the female may give birth to as many as six young, though three are most commonly produced 2 5.

After nine or ten months the young become independent, and may travel large distances to find their own territory.

The caracal has a large range, including much of Africa, and also extending through the Arabian and Anatolian Peninsula, and southwestern and central Asia, as far as Kazakhstan and central India 1 3 5. Within Africa, the caracal is only absent from the central Sahara and areas of dense forest around equatorial West Africa 1 5. Generally found in arid regions, the caracal occupies a range of habitats, including woodland, savanna, scrub and open semi-desert 1 2 3 , although in North and South Africa, it is also found in the humid forest zone 1 3 8. Within these habitats, the caracal prefers areas with good cover from vegetation or rocks 8.

Frequently found in mountainous areas, the caracal is generally found up to elevations of 2, metres, although some individuals have been recorded as high as 3, metres in the Ethiopian Highlands 1. Despite its widespread distribution and relatively large overall population, in certain parts of its range, the caracal is considered rare and threatened. As caracals are capable of predation on small livestock, it is often considered as a problem animal throughout its range 1 3.

In southern Africa, where the caracal is common, it is heavily persecuted as a pest due to its habit of preying on livestock. Nevertheless, despite large numbers being killed, the population does not appear to be suffering 1 5. Although caracal hunting is still legal in some parts of its range, in much of sub-Saharan Africa, and many southwest and central Asian countries, it is prohibited 1 3 8.

Very little is known from the presence and ecology of the caracal in much of its range in North Africa and Asia. However, in large and well managed protected areas throughout its range, caracals are safeguarded against threats like habitat loss and lack of natural prey. The global population trend of caracal seems to be unknown 1 3. Embed this Arkive thumbnail link "portlet" by copying and pasting the code below. Terms of Use - The displayed portlet may be used as a link from your website to Arkive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only.

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