Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae
Caracal caracal
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk.
Nicknamed the "gazelle cat" by the nomads of North Africa, it can leap 3 metres straight up to snatch birds out of the air. Despite its other nickname, "desert lynx", it is not related to the true lynxes.
Weight
8 kg – 19 kg
Size
60 cm – 75 cm
Life expectancy
13 years
Diet
Carnivore
Feeds mainly on other animals.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Easy
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: A-Z Animals; AnAge; Animal Corner; Feline Conservation Foundation; Animal Kingdom; ISEC Canada; Animal Diversity Web; Wild Cats of Africa
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented — showing 10 of 13.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Caracal — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Based on what we already know about caracal.
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The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
