The Turks called this cat the Black Ear, and we know it as a caracal or steppe lynx. The animal has a very exotic appearance, which immediately attracts attention. Outwardly, it looks like a cross between a puma and a lynx. These cats look great both in the wild and at home.
Anyone who calls the caracal a wild animal will be right. But call it domestic cat will also not be a mistake. This feature makes representatives of this breed unique. There are few nurseries in the world where you can see the domestic caracal.
This breed is not artificially bred. In the wild, caracals can be found on the Caspian coast, as well as in areas of Asia and Africa, where the steppe borders on forests. These animals don't like deserts. They prefer the plains. In such an area, a cat can remain invisible due to its color. Caracals are nocturnal predators. They can run fast, jump far and even swim.
Caracals have been domesticated by humans, but this does not mean that you can take home any cat of this breed. The animal will have all the habits wild cat. If you decide to get a caracal, you can only take it from a special nursery.
Fact! The caracal's ears have sharp, tufted tips. This distinctive feature is business card breeds
Appearance
There are 9 types of caracals, but it is impossible to distinguish them with the naked eye without professional knowledge. All of them are quite tall. At the withers, height reaches an average of about 50 cm.
With this height, the cat does not look large, as it has a very graceful build.
- The head has an elongated shape and small size. The muzzle is extended forward and covered with spots.
- The animal's ears are narrow and long, located at a great distance from each other, and stand upright. Ear color is black. There are tassels on the sharp tips. The back of the ears is black, sometimes with slight graying, in color.
- The eyes are almond-shaped and have a yellowish tint. They are edged with a black stripe.
- The cat's body is slender and muscular. The body length is approximately 65-85 cm.
- The caracal has slender large paws middle length.
- The tail is long and quite mobile. It is shorter in length than half the cat's body.
- The short, thick coat is red or sandy-red in color. It is slightly longer on the stomach and chest. There is a yellow stripe under the cat's eyes. Males and females have the same color.
An adult cat can weigh approximately 16-20 kg. Caracals live for about 15 years.
Cat character
The wild cat left the domestic caracal with courage and a love of freedom. But domestication made them more affectionate, capable of becoming attached to humans. If you adopt a kitten of this breed from a cattery, you will get a good one. true friend. Domesticated caracals are playful and curious. The character is characterized by calmness and balance. These animals are very kind and devoted to their owners, and can be trained.
In its habits, the caracal sometimes even resembles a dog. He gets used to his new home well, but when buying an animal you need to take into account that these cats are active. Owners of cramped apartments are better off not purchasing caracals. In such conditions, it will not be possible to provide the animal with all the conditions it needs. A spacious enclosure or a large country house is more suitable for them.
Previously, people used caracals for hunting. The cat performed the same functions as a husky or a dachshund when hunting. Nowadays, domesticated caracals behave like the most affectionate domestic cat. She will sleep and eat with the person.
Caracals are very friendly, and no signs of aggression have been observed with them. But don't buy this cat if there is one in the house Small child. If you want such a cat, then wait until the child grows up and can learn all the handling rules that the animal requires.
If you raise a caracal correctly, then an adult animal will not cause much trouble. The rules of parenting are almost the same as if you were raising a puppy. The animal must learn that it is strictly forbidden to chew on the wires and shoes of its owners. Also prohibit him from jumping on the table and eating from his own plates.
Advice! Don't hit the cat, but be strict in your upbringing. If you have a caracal growing in your house, hide from it objects and substances that could harm the animal. Electrical wires, chemical detergents and poisonous plants should be inaccessible to it.
Is it possible to keep a caracal at home?
The answer is yes! If you believe the reviews of the owners, then we can say that when proper education kitten, there will be no problems in adulthood. The main thing is to survive the first two years. Until this age, his behavior may be mischievous, but be consistent and strict in order to end up with a “well-mannered” cat.
Care
Fact! The big advantage of this breed is that its representatives almost never get sick. They have strong immunity, like their wild predecessors.
If you castrate your cat in a timely manner, this will help get rid of many problems that may arise during the mating season. At this time, the caracal may become uncontrollable and even show some aggressiveness.
Caracals have excellent immunity. They get sick extremely rarely. If you care for your cat properly and feed it correctly, it will be active and healthy until it is 15 years old.
What to feed a caracal
A cat is a predatory animal. For normal life, she needs to eat animal protein. An adult caracal can eat up to one kilogram of meat products daily. The amount depends on the age and size of the animal. The best food for a caracal is beef, chicken or turkey, or offal. Basically, caracal meat should be given raw. But you can partially boil the food. It is best if the animal eats meat with cartilage and bones. This will provide them with calcium and help train their jaw. Many representatives of this breed love to eat raw eggs and milk.In addition to animal proteins, the diet should also include vegetables, such as cabbage, pumpkin or zucchini. In addition, raw fish should be present in the diet. These cats should not be fed soup or cereal porridge. Make sure that food does not remain in the animal's bowl. If the cat hasn't finished eating, it's better to throw away the leftovers.
Twice a month it is recommended to go on a one-day hunger strike for the caracal. This mode will imitate that of wild animals. Avoid feeding your cat human food such as candy, smoked foods, and fat. It is not recommended to feed them pork. Sometimes you can feed the animal dry food, but it must be of excellent quality. Choose food that is formulated specifically for your Norwegian cat or Maine Coon.
Where to buy a kitten
Do not buy a caracal from an unreliable place, even if you are offered to buy a kitten at a reasonable price. You can often get scammed by purchasing an animal without the appropriate documents. This is how sick cats are usually sold. Also, by purchasing a caracal from an unreliable buyer, you can get a wild animal instead of the desired domesticated one. This cat is not suitable for living in a house or apartment. It is necessary to contact special nurseries where cats are bred by professionals.
Anyone interested will want to know the cost of a homemade caracal. These cats are considered exotic, so their cost is high. In Russia, a domestic caracal can be bought for 450,000 rubles. In Ukraine, this price will be about 210,000 hryvnia.
Video: Caracal cat breed
The caracal cat is a graceful lynx, only in miniature form. The caracal is beautiful, exotic and delightful; photos of these unusual and fascinating animals easily prove this. They are able to win everyone's heart with their sociability, tenderness and playfulness. But the blood of a predatory animal flows in their veins, so it can be dangerous to joke with them.
History of the breed
It is known that in Africa and Asia, when people went hunting, they certainly took cats with them. The rich tried to tame cheetahs, and those who did not have extra money settled on caracals and ocelots. They could easily catch peacocks, pheasants, wild hares and even small antelopes.
It was not difficult to tame a caracal; at its core, it is a rather docile animal. For this reason, they began to be kept at home as pets.
The name of the animal is translated from Turkish as “black ear”, because their ears are black on the outside, as are the tassels on their ears.
In 1998, at the Moscow Zoo, the result of an unplanned crossing of a caracal and an Abyssinian cat was a kitten, which was their first hybrid. In 2007, in America, during a planned mating of a caracal and an Abyssinian cat, only one kitten was born. And felinologists were unable to fulfill the plan for the Caraket program. After a long time, Irina Nazarova managed to get healthy kittens from a mating of caracals and domestic ones purebred cats. Today the breed is recognized by the ISU and the international association TICA.
Appearance of the Caracal breed
The Caracal cat breed is very similar to the lynx. The coloring, strong and muscular body, even the characteristic tufts on the ears, which can reach 5 cm, indicate their relationship. Their significant difference is only in size. In young animals, the tassels are almost standing, but with age the elasticity becomes less, and in caracals they hang down like ribbons.
The color of cats is sandy, reddish-sandy or brownish-red; the lower body has more light shade. It is noteworthy that kittens have black spots on their bodies, which as they grow older remain only on the face; the animal’s ears also have a black tint. The coat is short but quite thick. Caracals have sharp and well-developed hearing; they can navigate well in the dark. Powerful and strong paws help the domestic lynx to be fast and agile.
Domestic lynxes live at home for approximately 15-18 years. The height of the animal at the withers is 45-50 cm, approximately the same as that of the average dog. Body length is 65-82 cm. Weight is quite heavy for a cat: 16-20 kg.
The animal is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species. Therefore, these pets should be treated with even more care and attention.
It is worth noting that they are among the most expensive cats in the world. The cost of such a valuable specimen starts at $11,000.
Character of the caracal
A little dangerous, but always beautiful and delightful, the caracal cat. But what is his temperament like? The following are characteristics characteristic of the breed:
- Cats, so similar to lynxes, are very noble and kind. Their character is in many ways no worse than that of such pets as the Savannah or Pixie Bob.
- Caracals are balanced. Jumping around rooms, scaring everyone around, and then sleeping 15 hours a day - this is not about them.
- Domestic cats are very energetic. They just need to throw out their energy, they need to pay attention to this Special attention. Because in the absence of the necessary loads they can start to cause mischief.
- Animals are playful and love to fool around with children. There are many videos and photos of caracals having fun playing. But children need to be careful when playing with it. During the game, he can forget and claw painfully, so if you have a child under 5 years old at home, it is strictly not recommended to keep a caracal.
- Caracals are jealous of their territory. They are ready to guard and protect her from everyone. But they remain tolerant of the animals that already live in the house.
- The domestic caracal is very inquisitive. He is the first to run to greet family members when they come home. On the street, remembering their hunting instincts, cats may begin to scour the bushes when they hear a rustling sound.
The caracal at home can be gentle, tactful and flexible. Affectionate animals tend to purr very loudly. But we should never forget what roots an animal has.
It is better for a caracal kitten to appear in the house at 4-6 months. The sooner they get into the family, the more they will love the household members and get used to them, and there will be fewer mistakes with their upbringing. If the animal has reached 8-9 months of age, problems may arise with adaptation.
It will be especially difficult for the breeder in the first two years. This period of growing up for pets is very similar to transitional age person. At this time, caracals are too emotional and may not control their actions, this can especially manifest itself in the game. Therefore, it is at this time that you should pay as much attention as possible to raising your pet, and if you have any difficulties or questions, you should consult with specialists.
Caring for a caracal
This domestic lynx is very smart, energetic and quick-witted. But given that this is a predator, you need to ensure that the requirements are met clearly, and it is also necessary to adhere to the principle of consistency. It is necessary for the cat to feel the authority of the owner and maintain subordination with him. It will be useful to establish certain rules of behavior in the house.
It is important to castrate or sterilize your cat if there are no plans to reproduce the species - domestic lynxes will try to escape and mercilessly mark their territory when they mature. This means the apartment where they will live may suffer.
Unlike domestic cats, this animal does not bury feces. They remain on the surface of the tray.
You don’t need to brush your domestic lynx often; once a week will be enough. It is more convenient to do this using a furminator. Ears and eyes also need to be checked no more than once a week, and they can be cleaned as needed, so as not to once again cause unpleasant emotions in animals. Cats do not take well to “manicures”; in catteries, claws are often removed with a laser. If claws are still present, you need to find a log-shaped scratching post for the caracal.
Caracal food
The cat's diet is also very similar to the lynx. She loves chicken, beef, rabbit and poultry dishes. You can't feed your pet that often raw eggs and fish. You cannot feed a cat pork - it can cause Aujeszky's disease, which can threaten the animal's life. You can use premium food. It is better to exclude a variety of spices and salt. For proper development and health, it is necessary to feed the body of young animals with calcium and vitamins.
Caracals love to swim; they will be interested in playing in the water with rubber toys and balls.
You can only walk with cats while keeping the animal on a leash. It is advisable to purchase a special collar , which will protect the caracal from fleas and ticks. If your pet may behave aggressively, you can use a special muzzle. The animal does not tolerate the cold well, because it is a resident of the desert and savannah, so in severe frosts it is better to take your pet outside as little as possible.
Caracals can be used to protect and guard a house in a country dacha - it is unlikely that a thief will dare to break into the house if a lynx is waiting for him behind the fence, albeit in miniature form.
A domestic lynx will be able to get along with other pets without any problems, especially if the acquaintance occurred in childhood. But the animal can mistake birds and rodents for prey and begin to hunt them.
This is the natural essence of unsurpassed and amazing caracals. If you want to have a beautiful and exotic protector at home, and you are also confident that you can keep such an animal, then you should take a closer look at the domestic lynx - the caracal.
The caracal or desert lynx is an exotic pet that got its name because of the unusual color of its ears - the word caracal translates as black ear. The cat is demanding of himself, but responds to his care with devotion and love.
This is the most big cat, which lives in Asia, Africa, the shores of the Caspian Sea and in Southern Turkmenistan. The animal lives not only in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, but also in forests, where the animal freely climbs trees.
A place to sleep in daytime The caracal lynx uses rock crevices and burrows. Cats can live in a home they love for several years. The second half of the day the caracal hunts.
The area of the males' habitat is several tens of km, in contrast to the modest habitat of the females. The space between representatives of different sexes is separated by natural boundaries, which disappear during the generation of offspring.
At the moment, the cat is in the Red Book due to the fact that recently in Asia poachers often hunt caracals. To preserve the species, the animal can most often be seen in nature reserves, nature reserves and zoos.
History of the breed
The Caracal cat breed dates back to ancient times, when people went hunting with these animals. The steppe lynx was highly valued among hunters along with the cheetah, due to the presence of irreplaceable qualities: intelligence and obedience, intelligence and the possibility of taming.
Among cats, this wild animal was the first to be domesticated. Very similar to a puma, the cat is a subspecies of the common lynx.
Description of caracal
The caracal cat's external build resembles another representative of the cat genus - an ordinary lynx. general characteristics indicates a similar description. Steppe cats also look like a classic lynx in their paws, body, ear tufts and eyes.
- The body weight of an adult predator reaches up to 19 kg; a larger individual that weighs up to 25 kg is rarely found.
- The average size of the animal is up to 85 cm, rarely up to 99 cm. The height of the animal is about 45 cm. The tail is of average length 25-30 cm.
- The head is small compared to the body.
- Powerful long paws with retractable claws and a brush of hard wool on the outside of the hand are an excellent combination that makes it easier to move along the sand.
- The animal has short, thick, medium-hard fur.
- The color of the caracal is dominated by two colors: on the outside it is the color of sand with a reddish tint, on the inside, including the inner side of the ear, chin, belly and throat, it is white.
- The muzzle is oblong with a short mustache.
- Black nose with pink spot in the central part.
- The ears are high-set, up to 5 cm in size. Black on the outside and with white fluff on the inside. There are tassels on the ears.
Character and education
At home, a caracal is quite easily able to establish relationships with its owner and loves to play with toys. The character of a cat is a combination of friendliness, devotion and affection, trainability and loyalty.
Despite its similarity to a domestic cat, the caracal cat is a wild animal. Representatives of the genus of caracals, which includes one species (Caracal caracal) and nine subspecies, distributed in different regions of Africa and Asia. African subspecies are very numerous, while the Turkmen one is listed in the Red Book as endangered.
The exotic beauty of the animal and external similarity to the domestic cat contributed to the spread of domesticated caracals as pets.
Species features of caracals
Habitat
The natural habitat of caracals is savannas and semi-deserts. In the desert, it can go further than its close relative, the serval, due to the fact that the caracal is better adapted to do without water.
Lifestyle
Caracals are nocturnal predators. Hunt and 
hunger can force them to leave the den during daylight hours; this usually happens in winter and early spring.
Caracals live strictly alone. During mating, a cat can be visited by up to three different cats, but then she raises the cubs on her own for up to 3–4 months.
Grown-up kittens leave to find unoccupied territory - caracals are jealous of protecting their hunting grounds. They are usually larger in caracal cats than in cats.
Life expectancy is 15–20 years.
Hunting
Caracals hunt stealthily - they track prey and attack when it is at a short distance.
Long-legged and flexible, caracals are excellent jumpers, and their retractable claws help them catch up to several birds from a group in one jump. In addition to birds, they hunt a variety of game - from small gerbils to lambs. A predator that enters the territory of caracals can also become lunch. They can eat a fox or even a small dog.
If possible, the caracal will happily feed on domestic animals - ducks, chickens or kids.
Cats eat their prey on the ground, burying the uneaten food in sand and leaves.
History of the domestication of caracals
The first caracals began to be tamed back in Ancient Babylon, in III–IV 
century BC. This is evidenced by archaeological finds, where caracals are depicted on leashes along with cheetahs and lions.
Kittens are still caught by shepherds in Central Asia to be used for joint hunting.
Like the cheetah, despite the centuries-old history of life next to humans and the many domesticated animals, the caracal never became truly domestic.
What does a caracal look like?
General silhouette
The caracal is an elegant, elongated animal, strong and 
graceful. The body is rectangular, the legs are long, and the structure of this cat resembles a miniature lioness. The croup is often higher than the withers because the hind legs are much longer than the front legs. This structure allows you to jump tens of times your own height.
Head
This cat has a round head, an elongated and small muzzle. 
The most notable part of a caracal is its ears. They themselves are elongated, and visually they are even longer due to the black tassels, which clearly contrast with the overall sandy color of the cat.
In childhood, these decorations stand on end, in mature age hanging down along the ear.
Large triangular shape the eyes are usually light blue or pale green. The black “edge” of dyed wool gives them expressiveness and depth.
Color and coat
The fur of caracals is 3.5–9 cm long, thick, tightly packed, and shiny. On the paws, the fur forms brushes that help move along loose desert soils.
The color of these cats can vary from light yellow to red-brown. From top to bottom, the color becomes lighter and the coat becomes longer. The belly of caracals is almost white, and the fur is the longest. The black rims of the ears and black whisker pads contrast sharply with the white chin.
There are spots and stripes on the inside of the paws that give the animal its individuality.
Character of caracals
Usually tamed cats are gentle. If the kitten was adopted when it was small, or preferably from a tamed mother, and was regularly handled during childhood, then the caracal grows up to be docile and non-aggressive.
Caracals are non-social animals, unsuited to living in groups. These cats fight with their relatives, defending their territory.
Representatives of other species are considered prey and may attack a dog even larger than themselves.
In nature, caracals move a lot, therefore even tamed ones are mobile and active. They love to play various items, very smart and well trained.
Caracals willingly communicate with their owners, go on walks together, love to be stroked and scratched, and are not intrusive. Excessive attention tires them and in this case the cat may begin to fight back with its claws and teeth.
Caracals are not demanding of conditions, as for a wild predator, but 
will require more effort from owners than a pet.
The habit of hiding food supplies in secluded corners can cause a lot of trouble in a human home, so an aviary is best suited for keeping a caracal.
How to set up an enclosure for a caracal
An enclosure for a wild cat may not be too large in area, 
but always high, at least 4 meters to the ceiling and deaf. The mesh or lattice needs to be frequent, because the caracal is able to slip into a gap only 7 cm wide.
It is advisable to make the floor in the enclosure concrete - it is easier to clean and the caracal will not be able to undermine it. In the enclosure you need to put a house-house and a tree or several branches so that the animal has conditions to climb and jump.
Sterilization
If the animal is not planned for breeding, then sterilization and 
Whether castration is a great way to make communication with this predator easier.
Neutered cats do not try to attract cats into hunting, leaving special “messages” smelly urine. Neutered cats are more docile and less aggressive.
Other aspects of care
To simplify caring for a caracal, training it to use a tray will help - this will be useful both in an apartment and in an enclosure.
Cats' fur does not require special care; they take care of it themselves. 
cleanliness.
Seasonal molting of caracals occurs twice a year. During the molting period, it is worth brushing your pet with a thick brush made of natural bristles - this will speed up the change of coat and give it an elegant look.
It is important to monitor the condition of the claws. If they are not worn down enough, you may need to contact your veterinarian for trimming.
Feeding caracals
Caracals are strict predators. They eat only meat and it is impossible to replace it with any other products without harm to health.
To best meet the cat's needs, the diet should include carcasses of rodents and birds.
Day-old chicks are sold at poultry farms; they must be given whole, with feathers and bones. In the same form, you can also feed adult birds - chickens, ducks, quails. 
A good food for a caracal would be a rabbit (along with its entrails) or rats. These can be purchased at places that sell snake food.
It is better to choose beef or lamb that has enough bones and membranes. Feeding the pulp alone may cause diarrhea.
You can treat the caracal with dry food or a piece of cheese, but you cannot feed the cat only with them.
These cats usually digest milk poorly.
Caracals drink little; they get enough moisture from raw meat.
They do not need constant access to water, but they should be offered a drink from time to time.
Diseases of caracals
Like all wild animals, caracals are healthy and hardy animals. 
However, they require timely vaccination against feline panleukemia, rhinotracheitis and calcevirosis.
It is imperative to vaccinate caracals against rabies - this fatal and incurable disease is dangerous for people.
Caracals can carry chlamydia, although the disease does not manifest itself clinically in them.
Who is the caracal suitable for?
The caracal is best suited for lovers of exotic predators living in 
private house.
You should not bring a caracal into a family with children - it is difficult to explain to a child how to behave correctly with a predator who may consider him as prey.
A caracal will be a good companion for an enthusiastic person who is willing to spend a lot of time raising a pet. Caracals are well trained and can become an excellent assistant to a hunter.
Where can I buy
It is best to buy caracals in specialized nurseries, 
where they are bred to be domesticated. There you can see how the parents behave, how they get along with people, and look at the relatives of the future pet.
Kittens from nurseries are usually litter box trained and accustomed to handling and interacting with humans.
Zoos sometimes also sell caracals, but such cats most often view humans not as an owner or friend, but as a source of food. It is very difficult to instill discipline in such animals.
You should not buy animals that have been caught in the wild - they are more difficult to tame than those born and raised near people.
What to look for when buying a kitten
Before choosing the kitten itself, you need to look at it 
parents and other adult relatives.
This will help you get an idea of what he will look like as an adult and what his character will be like. Ask the breeders what the cats eat and whether the parents have had any illnesses.
Each kitten must have a veterinary passport with stamps from the state veterinary clinic on vaccinations against at least rabies and panleukemia. Without the stamp, state vaccination clinics are not valid!
A healthy little caracal should have:
- shiny wool;
- clear eyes without streaks or tears;
- dry nose without discharge;
- clean “pants” on the hind legs and a place under the tail.
Ask the breeders to show how the kitten plays, allows itself to be brushed, and has its ears or paws examined.
A resistant and unplayful animal is much more difficult to tame. 
If the cat is offered sterilized, it is worth finding out who performed the operation.
If one caracal is offered for sale, ask for documents about its origin. The purchase and sale of Red Book species, which include the Turkmen subspecies of caracal, is prohibited by law.
How much does a caracal cost?
Having your own predator is not a cheap pleasure. Prices for domesticated caracals in catteries start at $6,500 for a neutered kitten. Animals suitable for breeding will be even more expensive.
Sometimes they offer to buy cheaper cats. These may be untamed caracals caught in Africa or Asia, and they will require much more effort to train. Such animals are dangerous because they can carry exotic diseases.
Caracal, or steppe lynx (Caracal caracal)- a species of medium-sized wild cat from the cat family (Felidae). It was first described by the German naturalist Johann Christian von Schreber in 1777.
Description
The coat color varies from brown to red. Females are generally lighter than males. The belly is white and, like African golden cats, decorated with many small spots. Vertical dark lines extend above the eyes. A distinctive feature of the species are elongated ears with black bones. The legs are relatively long, the hind limbs are longer than the forelimbs, and have well-developed muscles. Eye color varies from golden or copper to green or gray. Melanism has been documented in individuals of this species, but is extremely rare. Juveniles are distinguished by their shorter ear tufts and blue eyes. Females weigh no more than 13 kg, while males can weigh up to 20 kg. Although the tail is short, it still makes up a significant portion (18 to 34 cm) of the total body length including the head (62 to 91 cm). Even the smallest adult caracal is larger than most domestic cats.
Subspecies
- C. c. algira- Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia;
- C. c. caracal- central Africa and South Africa;
- C. c. damarensis- Namibia;
- C. c. limpopoensis- Botswana and northern South Africa;
- C. c. lucani- northern Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon and the Republic of Congo;
- C. c. nubica- Cameroon, Ethiopia and southern Sudan;
- C. c. poecilotis- Senegal, Nigeria, Niger and western Sudan;
- C. c. schmitzi- Afghanistan, western India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, southwest Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Syria, southern Turkey, Turkmenistan, UAE, southwest Uzbekistan.
Area
The steppe lynx has a wide range and is found across much of Africa, the Arabian and Anatolian peninsulas, southwest and central Asia, Kazakhstan and central India. In Africa, lynx are only absent from the central Sahara and densely forested areas around equatorial West Africa.
Habitat
Caracals occupy a variety of habitats. Typically, they are found in wooded areas, thickets and bushes, plains and rocky slopes. These cats prefer the outskirts of their habitats, especially forest/meadow crossings. Steppe lynxes are found at altitudes of over 3,000 meters in the mountains of Ethiopia. An arid climate with minimal leaf cover is preferred. Compared to, caracals can live in drier conditions. However, they rarely live in desert or tropical areas. In Asia, they are sometimes found in forests, which is rare for African populations.
Reproduction
Before mating begins, chemical signals in the female's urine attract the male and notify him that she is ready to mate. The distinctive cough-like vocalization is also a way of attracting mates. Several were noticed various forms mating systems characteristic of the species. When several males are courting a female, there may be a struggle between them for the right to mate, or the female may choose a partner on her own, preferring older and larger ones over young and small ones. Once paired, caracals stay together for four days and mate frequently. Copulation lasts on average less than five minutes. Cats almost always mate with more than one male. For males, infanticide is observed, after which the female, prematurely, begins estrus and ends lactation.
Although both sexes become sexually mature at 7 - 10 months, the earliest successful mating occurs at 14 - 15 months of age. Some biologists believe that sexual maturity is indicated by a body weight of 7 to 9 kg. Females exhibit estrus behavior for 3 to 6 days, but in reality, it lasts twice as long. Estrus can begin at any time during the year. Pregnancy lasts 68 - 81 days, and the number of kittens in the litter varies from 1 to 6. In the wild, as a rule, no more than 3 cubs are born, while in captivity, there are more, but rarely exceed 6 kittens.
Parental education plays a large role in reproductive behavior. The time a mother spends with her kittens (and the absence of postpartum estrus) limits the female to one litter per year. Once pregnancy occurs, the male plays no role in rearing. Mothers invest a lot of time and energy into their offspring. Holes in trees, caves, or abandoned burrows are often chosen for the birth of young and the first four weeks of their lives. A month later, the cubs come out of hiding. Around this time, kittens begin to play and eat meat. Breastfeeding continues until the kittens reach 15 weeks of age, but full independence occurs at 5 to 6 months.
Lifespan
There have been no reliable data on the lifespan of caracals in the wild. Like others, they can live significantly longer in captivity (provided good care) than in the wild. The maximum lifespan in captivity was 20 years (wild female, raised in captivity).
Nutrition
Like other cats, caracals are strictly carnivores. The diet includes: hyraxes, hares, rodents, antelopes, small monkeys and birds. Pigeons and partridges are seasonally important prey. Mountain rednuckle, Dorcas gazelle, African great bustard, common gazelle, gerenuk and Sharp's stenbok - specific examples animals that steppe lynxes can hunt. They consume some reptiles, although reptiles are not the main component of the diet. Depending on their habitat, the components of their diet change. For example, the African caracal can eat more large species, such as ungulates, and Asian - only small vertebrates (for example, rodents). Sometimes they attack domestic animals. Although these cats are known for their spectacular leaps at birds, mammals make up more than half of the diet in all habitats. They can kill prey two to three times their body weight. Small victims are killed by a bite to the back of the head, and large victims are killed by a bite to the throat. Caracals chase prey and then leap on it using their disproportionately long and muscular hind legs. Unlike leopards, they rarely lift a dead carcass into trees.
Behavior
These animals can long time go without drinking. During the hot hours of the day, they rest, and hunt mainly during the cold hours - morning, night and evening. Their gait is similar to that of cheetahs, but they are not sprinters. Steppe lynxes climb trees if they are being chased by dogs. Although they can be considered the fastest cats in their weight class, when hunting, they sneak quietly and then jump on their prey like house cats.
Caracals are wonderful jumpers and can jump up to 3 meters in height. Thanks to this feature, cats can knock birds to the ground with their paws. They are capable of killing ten to twelve pigeons in one hunt. Once upon a time, these predators were domesticated and trained to hunt birds in India and Iran. They were placed in an arena containing a flock of pigeons, and people placed bets on the number of birds shot down. Caracals were also used to hunt antelope, hares and foxes, as well as cheetahs.
Like most cat species, steppe lynxes are nocturnal and travel up to 20 km per night in search of food. They sleep in burrows, crevices or dense bushes, sometimes in trees.
Home range
Caracals have a fairly large home range for their relatively small body size. Climatic conditions, geographic location and breeding ability are the main factors influencing the size of the home range of individuals. The male's territory is usually twice as large as the female's. The size of the home range also depends on the availability of water. In areas with dry climates, the home range is much larger. In some parts of Africa, a male's territory ranges from 31 to 65 km². Females in the same region will maintain a range of 4 to 31 km². In some parts of Asia, males have home ranges of 200 to 300 km². A male's territory may overlap the ranges of several other males, while a female defends her entire territory for her individual use.
Communication and perception
There has never been a thorough study of the communication of this species. Most of the information comes from observing individuals kept in captivity. Like other cats, caracals have well-developed senses of hearing and vision. Although servals are known for their incredible hearing, steppe lynxes can also, alone, detect small prey by sound. Once prey is located, they use their keen vision to focus on it. The exact function of the ear tassels is unknown. In captivity, caracals are known for their vocalizations. These cats growl, hiss, spit and meow. Tactile communication observed in combat, between males, during the breeding season. A potential partner is attracted to an olfactory signal. Hormonal changes in the female's body lead to changes in the composition of urine. When the female is ready to mate, she marks her territory with her urine, different places, to attract males who perceive odor through the vomeronasal organ.
Threats
Despite their widespread distribution and relatively large overall population size, in some parts of their range, caracals are considered rare and endangered. Because they are capable of attacking domestic animals, they are often seen as a problem across the spectrum. In North Africa, Arabia, Central Asia, Iran and India, habitat loss poses a serious threat to the survival of this species. In southern Africa, where steppe lynxes are common, they are heavily persecuted as pests due to their habit of preying on domestic animals. However, despite big number killed individuals, the population does not seem to suffer.
Opportunists such as caracals consume whatever is most available and requires the least amount of energy to catch and kill. This hunting method influences the control of the ungulate population. In some regions, these felines are one of the few species capable of killing certain predators.
Economic significance for humans
Positive
In India and Persia, they were once trained to catch game and deer. Thus, cats provided people with food and entertainment. The meat and hides in West and Central Africa provide food and modest income for local people. Fortunately for caracals, their skin is in very low demand.
Negative
Predation on small domestic animals leads to the destruction of thousands of steppe lynxes every year. This is particularly the case in South Africa and Namibia, where predator control programs are lacking.
Security status
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) lists the Asian populations in Appendix I and all others in Appendix II. This means that Asian populations cannot be traded for any commercial gain, but trade is for scientific research allowed. Appendix II dictates that trade in these animals will be controlled and permitted in cases that will not be detrimental to the species.
According to the IUCN Red List, steppe lynxes are classified as a species of Least Concern.
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