Caracal: status, range, size and diet
A long-legged, tuft-eared cat of Africa, the Middle East and India, famous for leaping to catch birds, and listed as Least Concern.
Also known as Caracal caracal, desert lynx, Persian lynx, African lynx
At a glance
| Scientific name | Caracal caracal |
|---|---|
| Group | Medium wild cats |
| Weight | About 8-19 kg |
| Length | Head and body about 71-108 cm, tail 18-34 cm |
| Known for | Black ear tufts and a leap that can take a bird out of the air. |
Status
| IUCN Red List category | Least Concern |
|---|---|
| Assessed in | 2016 |
Where it lives
| Range | Most of Africa outside the rainforest, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, Central Asia and western India |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Dry savanna, semi-desert, scrub, woodland and rocky hills, up to about 3,000 m |
| Diet | Rodents, hares, hyraxes, birds, small antelope and monkeys |
Main threats
- Killing over livestock
- Loss of habitat to farming and roads
- Trapping and snaring
- Road deaths
About
The caracal is a lean, medium-sized cat with a uniform sandy, red-brown or grey coat, a pale belly and long legs. Its most striking feature is the pair of tall ears topped with black tufts about four centimetres long. The tufts may droop with age, and the animal can move them to signal to other caracals. Some people mistake the caracal for a lynx, but the two are not close relatives. The caracal's nearest kin are the serval and the African golden cat, which together form the caracal lineage.
It is a fast runner and an outstanding jumper, and it can spring high enough to catch a bird as it takes off. The name comes from a Turkish word meaning black ear.
Where it lives and what it eats
The caracal is widespread south of the Sahara and rarer in North Africa. In Asia it occurs in the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, parts of Central Asia and western India, where numbers are low. It prefers dry, open or scrubby ground with some cover and tolerates low rainfall. It is less common in rainforest, where the African golden cat takes its place.
Caracals hunt mainly at night, alone. Small mammals form at least four fifths of their diet, but the cat also kills birds, reptiles, young antelope and monkeys, and it can bring down prey as large as a small antelope.
Threats and conservation
The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, in an assessment completed in 2016. Asian populations are listed in CITES Appendix I, while African populations are in Appendix II. The central Asian population is classed as Critically Endangered in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan under national law.
Farmers and herders kill caracals to protect sheep and goats, or in revenge for losses, and the pet trade on the Arabian Peninsula takes some animals from the wild. Farmland spreads, vehicles kill animals in Turkey and Iran, and traps and poison set for other animals catch caracals by accident. Livestock guard dogs and secure night pens can reduce losses.
Cats and people
People have used caracals for centuries. Mughal emperors in India used caracals to hunt hares and birds, and the cats were also entered in contests in which they caught pigeons. Keeping a caracal as a pet is illegal in many places, and it is a poor choice for a home because the animals are powerful and agile and keep their wild instincts. Caracal kittens are sometimes sold illegally, so anyone offered one should be cautious.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026