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The Rangers of Bontebok National park spotted a caracal in the veld, which does not happen very often. He stayed stil long enough for them to take a nice picture of him.

Here are some intresting facts about caracals:

Shoulder Height: 40 CM
Mass: 16 KG
Gestation: 75 days; up to 2 kittens


Diet: Carnivore. Rats and mice are the usual diet, but will eat dassies, monkeys and small game bird.


The caracal is a nocturnal and solitary animal and is found in most of southern Africa, but very sparse populations. It is silent unless cornered when it will spit loudly and aggressively defend itself. It has also been heard to purr softly.

This is a powerful cat which can take down prey as large as sheep, goats and antelope up to the size of a young kudu. It can also spring into the air to catch a low-flying bird.

Awesome news!!!...........

and..............

Ta-daaa!

Thanks for the "proof"

Looks like a happy little chappie

WoW

Now that is one happy looking Caracal!!!

Unfortunately the only way in which he/she is gonna stay a happy chappy is if it can be kept inside the park's fences. Bontebok (our smallest park) is just a tiny little fynbos island surrounded by farms - on which most of them sheep are kept. And needless to say, sheep farmers have no sympathy with caracals. More than a million Rand is lost (in the Western Cape only) in sheep losses - due to mostly black-backed jackal and caracal.

I wish I could get to see a caracal in the park. I have only seen them three times in nature - one in Kruger and one in a private reserve bordering Kruger. Maybe the third one was not "in nature" - it was crossing the road between Caledon and Villiersdorp (early morning - still dark - probably coming from a sheep kill)