Caracal
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2008-07-01T04:25:40Z
Mcelite
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 222680170 by [[Special:Contributions/24.87.93.63|24.87.93.63]] ([[User talk:24.87.93.63|talk]]) has to be cited
{{ otheruses }}
{{Taxobox
| name = Caracal<ref name=MSW3>{{MSW3 Wozencraft|pages=533}}</ref>
| status = LC
| trend = down
| status_system = iucn3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{IUCN2006|assessors=Cat Specialist Group|year=2002|id=3847|title=Caracal caracal|downloaded=12 May 2006}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern</ref>
| image = Caracal001.jpg
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[mammal|Mammalia]]
| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
| familia = [[Felidae]]
| subfamilia = [[Felinae]]
| genus = '''''Caracal'''''
| genus_authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1843
| species = '''''C. caracal'''''
| binomial = ''Caracal caracal''
| binomial_authority = ([[Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber|Schreber]], 1776)
| synonyms = ''Felis caracal''
| type_species = '''''Caracal melanotis'''''
| type_species_authority = [[John Edward Gray|Gray]], 1843 (= ''Felis caracal'' [[Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber|Schreber]], 1776) by monotypy
| range_map = Leefgebied caracal.JPG
| range_map_caption =
}}
The '''Caracal''' (''Caracal caracal''), also called '''Persian Lynx''' or '''African Lynx''', is a fiercely territorial medium-sized [[felidae|cat]]. The Caracal is labeled as a small cat, but is amongst the heaviest of all small cats, as well as the fastest.
==Description==
Males typically weigh about 13-18 kg (28-40 lbs), while females are smaller. The Caracal resembles a [[Eurasian Lynx]] and for a long time it was considered a close relative of the [[lynx]]es. Recent DNA research, however, has shown that the Caracal is not a close relative of lynxes at all, but is instead related to the [[Serval]] and the [[African Golden Cat]].<ref>http://www.botany.wisc.edu/courses/botany_940/papers/Johnson&2005.pdf</ref>
The Caracal is 65 [[centimeter|cm]] in length (about 2 [[Foot (unit of length)|ft]]), plus 30 cm tail (about 1 foot). It has longer legs and a slimmer appearance than a lynx. The colour of the [[fur]] is variable: it may be wine-red, grey or sand-coloured. Melanistic (black) Caracals also occur. Young Caracals bear reddish spots on the underside; adults do not have markings except for black spots above the eyes.
The most conspicuous feature of the Caracal are its long, tufted black ears, which also explain the origin of its name – ''karakulak'', [[Turkish language|Turkish]] for "black ear". Its ears are controlled by 20 different muscles to help it find its prey.
==Habitat and diet==
[[Image:Caracal_hunting_in_the_serengeti.jpg|left|thumb|A Caracal hunting in the [[Serengeti]]]]
The Caracal is distributed over [[Africa]] and [[western Asia]]. Its habitat is dry steppes and semi-deserts, but also include woodlands, savanna, and scrub forest. It is a solitary, or paired, territorial cat. The Caracal may survive without drinking for a long period — the water demand is satisfied with the body fluids of its prey.
It hunts at night (but in colder seasons also in the daytime) for [[rodent]]s and [[hare]]s; rarely it may even attack a [[gazelle]], a small [[antelope]] or a young [[ostrich]]. It is a picky eater, and discards the internal organs of the mammals it catches, partially plucks the fur off [[hyrax]]es and larger kills, and avoids eating hair by shearing meat neatly from the skin. However, it will eat the feathers of small birds and is tolerant of rotten meat.
It is most well-known for its skill with hunting birds; the Caracal is able to snatch a bird in flight, sometimes more than one at a time. The Caracal can jump and climb exceptionally well, which enables it to catch hyraxes better than probably any other carnivore. Its life expectancy in the wild is 12 years, or 17 years in captivity. Since it is also surprisingly easy to tame, it has been used as a hunting cat in Iran and India.
==Conservation==
[[Image:Turkmenistan-Caracal.jpg|left|thumb|A Turkmenistan Caracal in the San Diego Zoo]]
Because it is so easily tamed, the Caracal is sometimes kept as a pet, and is said to adapt easily to living with humans. It is often viewed as [[vermin]] by farmers in Africa because it frequently climbs over fences to eat [[chicken]]s and other [[poultry]].
The Caracal is almost impossible to see in the wild, not because there are very few of them, but because it hides extremely well. Game drives in countries such as [[Kenya]] and [[Botswana]] widely encounter other [[animal]]s, but a sighting of a Caracal is extremely rare.
The Caracal has been hybridised with the domestic cat at the Moscow Zoo.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Kusminych, I, and Pawlowa, A | title = Ein Bastard von Karakal Hauskatze im Moskauer Zoo | journal = Der Zoologische Garten | volume = 68 | issue = 4 | year = 1998}}</ref>
==Subspecies==
* ''Caracal caracal caracal'', [[East Africa|East]], [[Central Africa|Central]] and [[South Africa]]
* ''Caracal caracal algira'', [[North Africa]]
* ''Caracal caracal damarensis'', [[Namibia]]
* ''Caracal caracal limpopoensis'', [[Botswana]]
* ''Caracal caracal lucani'', [[Gabon]]
* ''Caracal caracal michaelis'', [[Turkmenistan]] ([[endangered species|endangered]])
* ''Caracal caracal nubica'', [[Ethiopia]], [[Sudan]]
* ''Caracal caracal poecilotis'', [[West Africa]]
* ''Caracal caracal schmitzi'', [[Israel]], [[West Asia]], [[Iran]], [[Arabia]], [[Pakistan]], [[India]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons|Caracal caracal}}
{{wikispecies|Caracal caracal}}
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XZ2SrafqmI Video of a caracal catching a bird in Tanzania's Serengeti]
* [http://www.animalorphanagekenya.org/members/brandy_for_breakfast.php Story of an abandoned caracal kitten raised by humans in Kenya]
{{Felidae nav}}
[[Category:Felines]]
[[Category:Fauna of Algeria]]
[[Category:Fauna of Angola]]
[[Category:Fauna of Botswana]]
[[Category:Fauna of Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:Fauna of East Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of Egypt]]
[[Category:Fauna of Iran]]
[[Category:Fauna of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Mammals of Kenya]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Middle East]]
[[Category:Fauna of Morocco]]
[[Category:Fauna of Namibia]]
[[Category:Fauna of the Sahara]]
[[Category:Fauna of South Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of Tanzania]]
[[Category:Fauna of Turkmenistan]]
[[Category:Fauna of West Africa]]
[[Category:Fauna of Zambia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Africa]]
[[Category:Mammals of Egypt]]
[[Category:Mammals of India]]
[[Category:Mammals of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Words of Turkish origin]]
[[af:Rooikat]]
[[ar:عناق الأرض]]
[[br:Karakal]]
[[bg:Каракал]]
[[ca:Caracal]]
[[cs:Karakal]]
[[da:Karakal]]
[[de:Karakal]]
[[et:Karakal]]
[[es:Caracal caracal]]
[[eo:Karakalo (besto)]]
[[fr:Caracal]]
[[io:Karakalo]]
[[it:Caracal caracal]]
[[he:קרקל]]
[[ka:კარაკალი]]
[[la:Caracal]]
[[lt:Karakalas]]
[[hu:Karakál]]
[[nl:Caracal (dier)]]
[[ja:カラカル]]
[[no:Caracal]]
[[oc:Caracal caracal]]
[[pl:Karakal]]
[[pt:Caracal]]
[[ro:Caracalus caracal]]
[[ru:Каракал]]
[[simple:Caracal]]
[[sk:Rys karakal]]
[[sr:Каракал]]
[[fi:Aavikkoilves]]
[[sv:Ökenlo]]
[[tr:Karakulak]]
[[zh:獰貓]]