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Caracal caracal
– Least Concern
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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MAMMALIA
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Order:
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CARNIVORA
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Family:
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FELIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Caracal caracal
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Species Authority:
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(Schreber, 1776)
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Common Name/s:
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AFRICAN CARACAL (Eng)
ASIAN CARACAL (Eng)
CARACAL (Eng, Fre, Spa)
DESERT LYNX (Eng)
LYNX DU DÉSERT (Fre)
LINCE AFRICANO (Spa)
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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LC ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2002
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Assessor/s:
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Cat Specialist Group
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Evaluator/s:
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Nowell, K., Breitenmoser, U., Breitenmoser, C. & Jackson, P. (Cat Red List Authority)
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Justification:
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Based on estimates of density and geographic range (Nowell and Jackson 1996), the caracal’s total effective population size is estimated at greater than 50,000 mature breeding individuals, but with a declining trend due to persecution and degradation of its habitat and prey base.
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History:
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| 1996 | - | Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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The caracal is widely distributed across North Africa, Central Asia, and south-west Asia.
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Countries:
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Native:
Afghanistan; Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Cameroon; Central African Republic; Chad; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Côte d'Ivoire; Djibouti; Egypt; Eritrea; Ethiopia; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; India; Iran, Islamic Republic of; Iraq; Israel; Jordan; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Kuwait; Lebanon; Lesotho; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Malawi; Mauritania; Morocco; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Nigeria; Oman; Pakistan; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Somalia; South Africa; Sudan; Syrian Arab Republic; Tajikistan; Tanzania, United Republic of; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uganda; United Arab Emirates; Uzbekistan; Yemen; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Uncertain presence and origin:
Burkina Faso; Mali; Swaziland
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Population
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Population:
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While it is relatively common, there is concern over the status of populations on the edge of its range in the Central Asian republics and in Pakistan.
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Population Trend:
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Habitat and Ecology
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Habitat and Ecology:
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The caracal is found in the drier habitats, including savannah and woodland, as well as desert, and are absent only from the tropical rainforest. Caracals take a variety of prey, including relatively large prey such as gazelles, and they are known for their exceptional ability to catch birds. Leaping high into the air to knock them down with their front paws (Nowell and Jackson 1996).
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System:
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Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine
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Threats
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Threats:
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Caracals are capable of taking small domestic livestock, and records from South Africa show large numbers of caracals trapped by farmers each year (Nowell and Jackson 1996).
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Conservation Actions
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Conservation Actions:
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Populations in Asian range states are included in CITES Appendix I; populations in African range states are included on Appendix II. Hunting of the species is prohibited in Algeria, India, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the caracal is protected from hunting in about half of its range states; in Namibia and South Africa, it is classified as a Problem Animal (Nowell and Jackson 1996).
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