Africa - Through the Eyes of Carlos Lopes

Africa

Through the Eyes of Carlos Lopes

This beautiful caracal, named "Shinga"

was reared by Carlos and his friend, Raul Marques

In South Africa, the Caracal roams generally in the more open, arid savannas and adjacent rock kopjies (hills), although it is also found on the montane forests of the southern areas. The back of it's characteristic black-tufted ears are black, and it is thought that it's name originates from the Turkish term 'karakulak', which means black ear. Erroneously called 'Lynx' at times, no evidence of close relationship as been found between them.

A solitary and generally silent cat weighing in at approximately 13 kgs, male and female only meet for the brief period of mating. The only two sounds I have ever heard 'Shinga' utter were sounds similar to the ones cheetahs make (a kind of bird like chirping) and a hissing when enraged. Like all cats, it scent-marks the boundaries of it's territory.

Caracals reproduce throughout the year; females being able to give birth as young as 19 months old, after a gestation period of approximately 80 days. Kittens eyes are closed at birth and only open after 10 days and their characteristic ears are flattened without the tufts; the tufts appear in about 25 days and are fully erect in 30 days. The litter seldom numbers more than 4 kittens (most common is 2 kittens). Kittens are weaned at about 4 months and stay with their mother until roughly 1 year old. This is when they are most vulnerable to predation, generally from jackals.

Caracals are seldom found during the day, being mostly nocturnal and they are extremely agile and fast. Often leaps when attacking the prey. Their diet is comprised of a variety of species, from small mammals to birds, but being an opportunistic predator, it is capable of killing and eating other smaller carnivores. Unfortunately, when found close to farmlands, it also preys on domestic stock. They are not known to scavenge, preferring fresh meat, and are capable of making 2m leaps in the air to catch prey, often 'playing' with their catch, much like a domestic cat does. They are easily habituated to people, if hand reared, but never really lose the peculiar wild instinct of self defense.

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