A beautiful caracal has been spotted on Table Mountain yet again. These elusive wild cats are opportunistic predators who prey on bird and mammal species.
Many sightings have been reported on Table Mountain, the cats are curious but cautious of humans and try to keep their distance. The Urban Caracal Project said on Facebook on Sunday that Petra van der Berg and Lars Hurenkamp spotted the animal on Table Mountain and took pictures.
The conservation group keeps track of the health, numbers and distribution of the caracal population. The project has tagged several caracals in the area to monitor them and their behaviour.
What are Caracals?
They are a medium-sized wild cats that are native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India. They have a slender built, long legs, a short face, long tufted ears, and long canine teeth. A caracal’s coat is reddish, tan or sandy.
Caracals play a pivotal role in balancing the ecosystem as the largest remaining predator in the Western Cape area.
Picture: Petra van der Berg and Lars Hurenkamp