Caracal caracal
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Habitat: Dry Woodland and Savannah
Weight 15 – 40 lbs
Average Lifespan 12 – 17 years
Gestation Period: 68 – 81 days
Number of Young 1 – 6
– The word caracal is from a Turkish word that means “Black-eared”
– Caracal’s whiskers are attached in a unique pattern, similar to a fingerprint
– They are sometimes called the “African lynx” or “desert lynx”
– Their top speed is around 50 mph
– They have scent glands between their toes and on their face
– Caracal ear tufts have been elaborately depicted in some tombs, and referred to as umm risha’t (“mother of feathers”)