Caracal in India, Distribution, Features, Sound, IUCN Status, News

It is native to Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, northwestern India and arid areas of Pakistan.

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Caracal Latest News

In a groundbreaking discovery, the elusive Asiatic Caracal has been spotted at Ramgarh in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

It is an elusive medium-sized wild cat species.
Scientific Name: Caracal caracal.
It is often referred to as the desert lyn;, however, they are more closely related to the African golden cat and the Serval.
In India, it is called siya gosh, a Persian name that translates as ‘black Ear’.

It is native to Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, northwestern India and arid areas of Pakistan.
Their numbers in India have dwindled to an estimated 50, primarily in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

It can be found in many environments, such as semi-deserts, savannahs, shrublands, steppes, forests, and woodlands.
It prefers dry areas with very little rainfall.

The caracal has a solid build, long legs, a short face, and tufted ears.
They are the largest of Africa’s small wild cats, with males reaching 31 inches in length and females 29 inches in length.
A vital feature of the cat is the black tufts on its ears.
The cat’s fur is generally a red-tan or sand, although some black caracals have also been seen.
Dark lines and white spots can be found near the nose and eyes.
The fur is short and thick, and the cat’s back legs are longer than the front.
They are remarkable jumpers and can jump up to 3 meters (10 feet) into the air to knock flushed birds down with their paw.
They can reach speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph) when in full flight.
Like most species of cat, the caracal is predominantly nocturnal.
They live in small herds and their shy and elusive nature makes them difficult to spot in the wild.