The name caracal comes from the Turkish word meaning black ears which refers to their large, black ears topped with two-inch tufts of black hair. The ears and tufts serve as sensitive receivers to detect the quietest sounds of nocturnal prey and also as mobile beacons signaling the cat's moods and intentions. Behavior Caracals crouch low when they stalk their prey, hiding behind sparse cover. When close, they rush, leaping as high as six feet off the gound to knock birds out of the air. They are mainly active at twilight, but will hunt during the night in hot weather or by day in the winter.
Caracals are solitary animals and usually hole up in deserted burrows.
They are generally regarded as very aggressive. The mother raises the kittens alone. Lifespan About 17 years. Diet Birds, rodents, hyraxes, dik-dik, and young antelope. Predators Black-backed jackals, man.