If you’re a cat lover (even if you’re not one!) you’ll love these baby caracals!
These amazing creatures were once religiously important in ancient Egypt and were often made into bronze figurines or sculptures and in numerous paintings from that period.
They’re native to Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East.
The adult caracals can weigh up to 40 lbs and run at a speed of up to 50 mph. They can also be domesticated and many people also keep them as pets.
But, this isn’t legal throughout the world- in some countries; it’s actually illegal to have caracals as pets.
What Kind of Cats Are Caracals?
Though they’re similar to the lynx in their outer appearance, these cats are a separate species. They were first discovered back in 1776 by Johann C. Daniel von Schreber, German naturalist, in Africa and it was named by Felis Caracal.
In 1843, John Edward Gray’s analysis discovered that these cats were a separate breed and aren’t a Felis breed that includes domestic cats and its close relatives as it was thought.
In the wild, these amazing creatures hunt smaller mammals, birds, and rodents and eat 2 to 3 pounds of meat per day.
This slender and medium-sized cat has long and powerful long and interesting tufted ears. Their average lifespan in the wild is approximately 12 years and 17 in captivity.
Their outer coat is consistently reddish and sandy without patterns. However, younger ones tend to have paler color than the older ones. Their ears have hairs that help these cats detect vibrations and ease their bird catching which they do by leaping high into the air.
Unfortunately, in India, they’re an endangered species primarily because of the loss of scrub and thorn habitat and unsupervised human activities in their habitats.
Indeed, caracals are elusive and rare and naturally beautiful.
Check out these amazing photos and tell us what you think in the comment section:
Sources: