Caracal lifespan. Caracal, or steppe lynx

Titles:caracal, desert lynx, steppe lynx.
The species name comes from the Turkish word "garahgulak", which means "black ear".

Area: Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Asia Minor and Central Asia to the east to Western India, Southern Turkmenistan (along the coast of the Caspian Sea to the Mangyshlak Peninsula).

Description: By appearance The caracal is similar to the lynx, but smaller in size. The body is thin, slender, the paws are long (the front ones are stronger and longer than the back ones) with sharp retractable claws. The tail is long, accounting for about 1/3 of the body length. The coat is short and thick. The ears are high, pointed at the ends, sit high on the head and stand almost vertically. At the ends of the ears there are long (up to 5 cm) tassels. Hard hair grows on its paws, which makes it easier for caracals to move along the sand. The caracal skull has shorter supraorbital processes, convex and moved forward auditory chambers. Sexual dimorphism is strongly pronounced - males are much larger in size than females.

Color: uniform throughout the body - sandy or reddish-sandy, which is a good camouflage among the sand dunes. The throat and belly are whitish. Ear tufts are black, only in one subspecies Lynx caracal poecilictis they come in white. There are also completely black caracals.

Size: body length 65-86 cm, tail 25-29 cm, height at withers up to 45 cm, skull length 11 cm, skull width at cheekbones 7.5 cm.

Weight: up to 11-13 kg, large individuals are heavier.

Lifespan: in captivity up to 15-18 years.

Habitat: arid areas - lowland shrub and clay deserts, sandy deserts and semi-deserts. The caracal is found in savanna and steppes, foothills and hilly areas, where it lives in thickets of bushes and trees.

Enemies: steppe wolves, shepherd dogs (), guarding flocks of sheep.

Food: the basis of the diet consists of (,) and tolai hares. At times it also preys on small predators. It also eats plant foods (grapes, grass). It can go for many days without drinking water, being content only with the liquid contained in food.

Behavior: caracal leads night look life, very secretive and cautious. It goes hunting at dusk. IN winter time hunts during the day too. Actively pursues prey; at short distances it can even catch up with the tolai hare. Despite their long paws, the caracal cannot run for a long time, so most often it hunts by stealthing the prey, and then catching up with it with long (up to 4-5 m) jumps.
Like a leopard, it drags its prey up a tree and eats it there.
Thanks to its excellent hearing, it can navigate perfectly in the dark.
Uses fox and porcupine burrows as shelter. One hole can be used for several years. In spring it rests in bushes.
Excellent climbing trees and vertical surfaces. If a caracal is cornered, it actively defends itself, so it can be dangerous even to humans.
It has a very fast reaction, thanks to which it is able to grab several birds (one after another) from a flying flock.

Social structure: Leads a solitary lifestyle, except during the breeding season. Sometimes there are small family groups.
The individual home range of a male is 95-350 km 2 and partially overlaps with the home ranges of other males. The ranges of females are smaller - 2-112 km 2.

Reproduction: The female's estrus lasts six days, during which time she mates with several males. The female prepares a den in a porcupine hole or, under the roots of trees or in caves.

Breeding season/period: most likely throughout the year (depending on range).

Puberty: occurs at 1-2 years of age.

Pregnancy: lasts 61-79 days.

Offspring: The female gives birth to 1-4 blind spotted kittens. As they grow older, these spots disappear. The eyes open at one week of age, and after 2-4 days the kittens begin to stand up and walk. Small caracals grow slowly, adding about 21 grams per day. Until the babies are one month old, the female periodically drags them from one den to another. Lactation lasts up to 4-6 months, but already at 1.5 months. As kittens age, they begin to eat solid food. The cubs remain with their mother for up to a year. Males, in search of their territory, move 100 km or more from their mother’s den, while females remain nearby.

Benefit/harm for humans: does not work on caracals commercial hunting.
In India, caracals were trained to hunt small antelope, foxes and game birds. It attacks small livestock and poultry, which is why local farmers hunt caracals. Doesn't attack humans. Does not take root in zoos.

Population/Conservation Status: The species is in constant decline. The caracal is listed in the CITES Convention (Appendix II). Fishing is prohibited in the CIS.
There are currently nine recognized subspecies Caracal caracal: C. c. caracal- Sudan, South Africa, C. c. algira- North Africa, C. c. damarensis- Namibia, C. c. limpopoensis- Botswana, C. c. lucani- Gabon, C. c. michaelis- Turkmenistan, C. c. nubicus- Sudan and Ethiopia, C. c. poecilictis- Nigeria, C. c. schmitzi- from Arabia to India.

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Caracal (steppe lynx) - predatory mammal of the cat family. For a long time, the caracal was classified as a caracal, which it resembles in appearance, but a number of genetic features separated it into a separate genus. Despite this, the caracal is closer to lynxes than other cats.

Outwardly it resembles a lynx, but smaller in size, slimmer and with a solid color. Body length 65-82 cm, tail - 25-30 cm, shoulder height about 45 cm; weight - 11-19 kg. Ears with tassels (up to 5 cm) at the ends. The paws have a brush of coarse hair, making it easier to move along the sand.

The fur is short and thick. The coloration is reminiscent of the North American puma (Felis concolor): sandy or reddish-brown above, whitish below; There are black markings on the sides of the muzzle. The tufts and outer side of the ears are black. Black melanistic caracals are very rare.

Although the caracal looks like a lynx in appearance, morphological characteristics he is the closest thing to a cougar. The caracal is also close to the caracal, with which it interbreeds well in captivity.

The name "caracal" comes from tur. karakulak “black ear”, since the back of the ears of these cats is black. IN North Africa The caracal is also called the Barbary lynx.

It is found in savannas, deserts and foothills of Africa, in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula, Asia Minor and Central Asia. It is rare in the CIS: it is found in the deserts of Southern Turkmenistan, along the coast of the Caspian Sea it reaches the Mangyshlak Peninsula, and in the east it sometimes appears in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan.

The caracal is active mainly at night, but in winter and spring it also appears during the day. Its refuges are rock crevices and burrows of porcupines and foxes; sometimes they are used for several years in a row. Males occupy vast territories, while the territories of females, more modest, are located on the periphery.

Although the caracal has long legs, it cannot run for a long time, so it hunts by stealing its prey and overtaking it with large (up to 4.5 m in length) jumps. Possessing an extraordinary reaction speed and very sharp retractable claws, the caracal is capable of snatching several birds from a flying flock. However, its main food is rodents (gerbils, jerboas, gophers), tolai hares, partly small antelopes, and in Turkmenistan - goitered gazelles. Sometimes it catches hedgehogs, porcupines, reptiles, insects, small predatory animals such as foxes and mongooses, and young ostriches. Can abduct poultry and attack lambs and goats. Caracal is capable for a long time do without water, obtaining liquid from the prey they eat.

Like a leopard, the caracal drags killed game into trees to hide it from other predators.

Caracals are easy to tame. In Asia (India, Persia) they hunted hares, pheasants, peacocks and small antelopes with tame caracals. In ancient times, such hunting was very popular in the East; In India, the caracal is called "little" or "poor man's cheetah" because, unlike cheetahs, caracals were caught and kept by poor people. Now such hunts are rare.

(Caracal caracal), which is also called the steppe or desert lynx, actually has nothing to do with the lynx genus, although the predator was previously mistakenly attributed to it because of its similar appearance.

This cat is distributed throughout most of Africa, with the exception of the Sahara, as well as central and southwestern Asia. In northern Africa, the species has almost completely disappeared, while in Namibia and the southern regions of the African continent there are so many caracals that they are destroyed by local residents as pests. The Asian range is much less densely populated.

Previously, the distribution area of ​​caracals coincided with the range of cheetahs, but currently they coexist in the same territory with another representative of the cat - the serval.

Lives caracal in the most different environments a habitat. These can be forests, bushes, or flat and rocky areas (climbing to a height of up to 3000 meters above sea level). The favorite habitat is the edge forest areas, smoothly turning into a plain. Compared to servals, caracals tolerate arid conditions much better, but are rarely found in deserts, as well as in dense tropical forests. The Asian population is more tolerant of forested areas.

The coat color of the steppe lynx is very variable in different parts range, ranging from brown to almost red. The lower part of the body is light and, like the African golden cat, decorated with many small spots. The face has black markings under and above the eyes. The unique distinguishing feature of the caracal is big ears, I finish with long black tassels (it’s impossible not to notice them in the photo). Young individuals have noticeably shorter tassels than adults.

It is also impossible not to note the cat’s unusually developed hind legs, with the help of which it can jump up to 4.5 meters in length from a standstill. Females are significantly smaller in size than males, both in weight and length. The total body length varies from 62 to 90 cm, not counting the tail of 18-34 cm. Females weigh up to 13 kg, males - up to 20 kg, which exceeds the size of even the largest domestic cats.

Caracals live alone, except during the breeding season. Each individual zealously defends its territory, the area of ​​which can be from 4 to 60 km for the inhabitants African continent, and from 200 to 300 km for Asian representatives of the species. In this case, the territories of males may partially overlap, while females will never tolerate the presence of other relatives in their area.

When a female desert lynx is ready to mate, she lets the males know by releasing pheromones in her urine. It has also been reported that caracals make a sound similar to a cough, serving as a kind of mating call. One cat will usually mate multiple times with several males over the course of 4 days, preferring larger and older candidates over younger and smaller ones.

Mating can occur year-round, but fertility peaks between October and February. It is believed that this is related to the diet of females, i.e. when there is plenty of food (and in different regions this period is different), the reproductive program “starts” in her body.

Pregnancy in caracals lasts from 68 to 81 days, in a litter there are from 1 to 6 kittens, on average 3. They are born under the roots of trees, in caves, or abandoned burrows of other animals.
During the first month, the female constantly moves her offspring from place to place in order to protect them from predators. Caring for the offspring falls entirely on the cat's shoulders. By the age of 15 weeks, caracals are already quite independent, but they become truly independent only at the age of 5-6 months.

Young caracals are ready for mating at 7-10 months of age, but there is a hypothesis that for successful mating an individual must reach a mass of 7-9 kilograms.

The predator is predominantly nocturnal, although occasionally it can be found awake during the day. Like other cats, the caracal has very well developed hearing, although not as much as the serval, and vision. Having detected our prey with the help of hearing, we then use our sight for precise “guidance” and capture.

The diet of caracals contains only food of animal origin. These are mainly hyraxes, hares, rodents, antelopes (gerenuks, mountain gazelles, Dorcas gazelles), as well as small monkeys, birds (bustards and some other species) and in rare cases reptiles. Unlike other members of the family, this cat can kill prey that is 2-3 times its size, and can even stand up for it. Watch the video of how two jackals are forced to leave their tasty prey in favor of a caracal.

We have already discussed a lot of wild cats with you.

You can look at the list here:

But the list is not exhausted.

Caracal (steppe lynx) (Lynx caracal or Felis caracal) is a predator, a mammal of the cat family. For a long time, the caracal was classified as a lynx, since it resembles them in appearance, but after a series of genetic studies it was separated into a separate genus. But still, caracals are closer to lynxes than other cats.

Photo 2.

In appearance, the caracal resembles a lynx, only smaller in size, more slender and with a uniform coat color. Body length is 65-82 cm, tail – 25-30 cm, height – approximately 45 cm, weight – 11-19 kg. There are tassels up to 5 cm long at the tips of the ears.

Photo 3.

On the paw pads there is a brush made of hard hair, which makes it easier to move through the sand. Well, in general, the size of a caracal does not exceed the size of an ordinary cocker spaniel dog.

The fur is thick and short. In color, the caracal is similar to the North American puma - brown-red fur on top, whitish below, there are black markings on the side of the muzzle. The tassels and ears are black on the outside.

Photo 4.

Melanistic caracals with black fur are extremely rare. The color of an animal's fur is largely influenced by its habitat and hunting location. For example, the Israeli caracal has a much paler coat than the one living in India, and some Iranian species have black fur and silver tassels on the ears.

In some African countries, these animals are called “red cats” for their copper-colored fur, in some – “gazelle cats” for their extraordinary mobility and lightness.

Photo 5.

Although the caracal external signs and looks like a lynx, morphologically it is closer to the puma. Also close to it is the African serval, with which the caracal easily interbreeds in captivity.

At first glance, the caracal's face is very similar to that of a cat. The only difference is the large triangular ears, topped with long black tassels. In young caracals, the tassels are almost in vertical position, but over time their elasticity is lost, and they begin to hang from the ears like ribbons.

Photo 6.

Just don’t be impressed by its good looks and small size. Caracals are strong and dangerous predators, far-sighted and experienced hunters, capable of pursuing prey twice their own weight.

With sharp fangs he pierces the throat of his victim, and powerful jaws holds it so that the prey does not escape from its pursuer. The claws and molars are sharp, like blades, with which the caracal cuts prey and separates the meat from the tendons.

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The most powerful weapon This animal can be called hind legs, muscular and strong, which would be the envy of even an Olympic-level jumper or sprinter. They give the caracal amazing agility. Also, these animals have well-developed hearing, being unusually acute, they see perfectly in the dark.

Help the caracal hear the noise of an approaching prey when around dark night, amazing ears controlled by twenty muscles. There are many hairs inside the ear, which help determine the location of prey as accurately as possible.

Photo 8.

The name “caracal” comes from the Turkish word “karakulak” - “black ear”. The explanation for this name is the black back of the ears of caracals. The population of North Africa calls the karcal "Barbary lynx."

Caracals are found in deserts, savannas, foothills of Africa, deserts of Central and Asia Minor, and the Arabian Peninsula. Also, these animals can be found, only infrequently, in the desert of Southern Turkmenistan, on the coast of the Caspian Sea (up to the Mangyshlak Peninsula), and occasionally found in Uzbekistan, in the Bukhara region.

Photo 9.

Different subspecies of caracals are common in different areas:

· IN South Africa and Sudan - Caracalcaracalcaracal.

· In North Africa – Caracalcaracalalgira.

· In Namibia – Caracal caracal damarensis.

· In Botswana – Caracal caracal limpopoensis.

· In Gabon – Caracal caracal luciani.

· In Turkmenistan – Caracal caracal michaelis (Turkmen caracal). This subspecies is endangered, the total number of remaining individuals is no more than 300.

· In Ethiopia and Sudan – Caracalcaracalnubica.

· In Nigeria – Caracal caracal poecilictis.

· From Anterior India to Arabia - Caracalcaracalschmitzi (Indian caracal).

Photo 10.

Caracals are active mainly at night, but in winter and spring they can also be found during the day. These animals choose fox or porcupine burrows and rock crevices as their shelters. Caracals can live in one shelter for several years.

Territories occupied by males have large area, females get smaller areas on the periphery.

Photo 11.

The long legs of the caracal allow it to jump up to 4.5 m in length, which it actively uses when hunting, but to run long time can not. An unusually high reaction speed and very sharp retractable claws enable the caracal to grab more than one bird from a flock that has begun to take off. But the main food of this animal is rodents (jerboas, gerbils, gophers), tolai hares, sometimes small antelopes, and in Turkmenistan, goitered gazelles.

Photo 12.

Sometimes the caracal preys on porcupines, hedgehogs, insects, reptiles, small predators (mongooses or foxes), and young ostriches. Capable of kidnapping poultry, attacks goats and lambs. Caracals can go without water for a long time; they only need the liquid contained in the prey they eat.

Photo 13.

Like the leopard, the caracal hides its caught prey in a tree, away from other predatory animals.

Photo 14.

Caracals breed all year round, depending on the habitat, the female can have three partners during the estrus, which lasts six days. Gestation lasts 61-79 days, and 1 to 6 spotted blind cubs are born.

The older caracals become, the fewer spots remain on their skin. A week after birth, the kittens' eyes open, and two to four days later they begin to stand up and walk. The cubs grow slowly, with an average daily weight gain of approximately 21 grams.

Photo 15.

Until the babies are one month old, the female carries them from den to den every day. Having reached a certain age, usually a year, the young caracal leaves its mother to settle in its own domain. Females settle close to the parental territory, and males go far - from 100 km. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 16-18 months.

Caracals lead a fairly solitary life, with the exception of the breeding season. Occasionally you can find family groups with a small number. The area of ​​an individual male's territory is 95-350 km2, it partially overlaps with the domains of other males; females have smaller territories - 2-112 km2.

Photo 16.

Caracals can be easily tamed. In Persia and India, tame animals were used to hunt hares, peacocks, pheasants, and small antelopes. Ancient times similar look hunting was very popular in eastern countries.

In India, the caracal was given the name “little cheetah” or “cheetah for the poor”, since, unlike the cheetah, it was caught and kept by poor people. Nowadays such hunting is rare.

Photo 17.

In Africa, mainly in the south, caracals are common animals that are even considered pests. Eat special ritual hunting caracals: they are lured with devices that can imitate the cry of a mouse or a wounded hare, and they are shot at night from under headlights. In addition, caracals are used in South Africa to drive away birds (mainly guinea fowl) from the runways of military airfields.

Photo 18.

The subspecies of caracals found in Asia are much rarer and are even listed in the IICITIES Appendix.

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sources

Caracal, or steppe lynx, belongs to predatory mammals from the cat family. A number of genetic features made it possible to distinguish the caracal into a separate genus, but according to the main morphological characteristics, the steppe lynx is very close to the puma and the African serval.

Appearance, description of caracal

In appearance, the caracal resembles a lynx, but has a smaller body size, is slender and has a uniform coloration. Average length The body of an adult varies between 65-82 cm, and the length of the tail is 25-30 cm with the height of the animal at the withers being 44-46 cm. The body weight of an adult caracal does not exceed 13-22 kg. Distinctive feature is the presence of lush tassels up to 50 mm long at the tips of the ears. There are hard bristly hairs on the paws, which allows the animal to move easily even on sandy surfaces.

This is interesting! In natural habitats, melanistic individuals are sometimes found. Such caracals are characterized by a much darker, almost completely black coloration, uncharacteristic for this species.

The body is covered with short and fairly thick fur. The coat coloration is reminiscent of the North American puma, and is sandy or reddish-brown on top with a whitish underpart. The lateral part of the muzzle is distinguished by pronounced, clearly visible black markings. The ear tufts and the outer part of the ears are black in color. Against the backdrop of sand dunes, steppe lynxes are almost invisible. IN summer period the predatory animal sheds, replacing its fur with lighter, but equally thick and dense wool.

Living in the wild

Caracals prefer to settle in the territory of savannas, as well as in deserted steppe zones and in the foothills.

Habitats and geography

A large number of caracals are found in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Asia Minor and Central Asia, as well as the Middle East. A small number of steppe lynx inhabits Southern Turkmenistan, the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Mangyshlak Peninsula, as well as the eastern part of Kyrgyzstan and the Bukhara region in Uzbekistan. In our country, single individuals are found in the foothills and deserts of Dagestan.

Lifestyle of the steppe lynx

Steppe lynxes get along well with many other representatives of the cat family. Caracals do not enter desert areas very often, but they are able to easily tolerate drought and go without water for a long time. During the daytime, caracals take shelter from the midday heat in dense thickets, and when night falls they go out to hunt. The caracal is characterized by a solitary lifestyle, and its own feeding area is strictly protected.

This is interesting! The size of the protected feeding area of ​​an adult steppe lynx is very impressive, and can vary from 4 km to 300 km or more, while females choose relatively small territories for themselves.

Caracals have excellent eyesight and excellent hearing, which allows predators to quietly and very effectively track their prey. After the prey is discovered, the caracal attacks it with almost lightning speed. Despite its well-developed limbs, the steppe lynx cannot pursue its prey for a long time, so the hunting process is carried out from an ambush.

The prey of the caracal can be hares, various rodents, birds, hedgehogs, porcupines, monkeys, small antelopes, mongooses, as well as foxes and all kinds of reptiles. An adult predator is able to cope with prey that is twice the size of a caracal. Small animals are killed with a single powerful bite, while larger prey are usually killed by strangulation. The predator hides the remains of uneaten food and, if necessary, eats it after a while.

The main enemies of the caracal

The following are capable of attacking the steppe lynx: large predators, like the hyena, from which caracals flee in dense thickets. The enemies of the caracal also include steppe wolves and Alabai dogs, which are used by people to guard a flock of sheep.

IN Lately Caracals are deliberately exterminated by people, which is caused by the need to protect livestock from attacks by predators. The sharp decline in numbers contributed to the inclusion of the steppe lynx on the list of protected species, and hunting for this predator is prohibited in the CIS countries.

Keeping a caracal at home

In the territory Ancient India, as well as in Persia, the steppe lynx was specially tamed for hunting wild animals such as small antelope, hares, pheasants and peacocks. This type of hunting was popular mainly among poor people, since caracals were much cheaper than cheetahs, and also did not require special care and a lot of food.

It was very easy to keep such an animal, and a properly tamed steppe lynx is a kind and affectionate animal. Today, keeping such a large predatory cat at home has become a sign of wealth and is very prestigious. Many wealthy people buy unpretentious caracals as exotic pets. However, the cost of such a graceful animal is very high, so not everyone can afford to purchase it and keep it at home.

You cannot have such a predatory exotic animal if there are children in the house preschool age. Keeping steppe lynx at home requires a lot of money, as well as time and effort. You can bathe an animal only if absolutely necessary. Periodic brushing as well as eye and ear hygiene are essential elements. home care. Nails need to be trimmed promptly. Preferably with early age accustom your wild cat to a leash and collar, which will allow you to walk the animal without any problems.

Important! When keeping a caracal in an apartment, it is necessary to often walk it outside, since this predatory animal really needs sufficient food. physical activity and run.

It is preferable to purchase caracals for keeping in conditions country house, where an exotic pet needs to be equipped with a special enclosure with all kinds of devices for relaxation and physical activity.

The steppe lynx is capable of excellent jumping, so the territory must be fenced with a fairly high fence. The animal does not tolerate cold very well, so the housing in the enclosure must be equipped with a high-quality heating system.

What to feed a caracal

IN natural conditions The caracal's diet consists of meat, so when home care Meat and offal, as well as hare, rabbit meat and feed rodents should be used as feed. You can feed the steppe lynx with the most accessible raw meat poultry, as well as fish and minced meat.

It is imperative to supplement the caracal’s diet with vitamins and minerals. As a rule, food is given to a domestic predator a couple of times a day, and the portion must be calculated based on the age and body weight of the exotic animal. There must be a bowl of clean and fresh water in the access area.

Lifespan

Caracals are long-lived predators. In conditions of captivity and subject to the rules of detention, average duration The life of the steppe lynx exceeds fifteen years.

Steppe lynx diseases, prevention

Unlike most breeds of domestic cats, the steppe lynx is not initially predisposed to diseases and has a very powerful immune system. The main causes of health problems are improper care of an exotic pet, age-related characteristics, or untimely veterinary care in the absence of prevention.

Important! The steppe lynx can be a carrier of chlamydia, but any clinical manifestations of this disease are completely absent in the domestic exotic predator.

The first vaccination is given to a caracal kitten aged three months, and revaccination is carried out after a month. Then you need to vaccinate the animal against rabies. Vaccinations against panleukemia, rhinotracheitis and calcevirosis are also mandatory. It is not recommended to carry out preventive measures at the time of teeth change or if the steppe lynx is not feeling well. Routine examinations are required every six months.

Nuances and problems of education

As a rule, well-bred and properly tamed wild cats are gentle. For this purpose, a caracal kitten must be acquired while still small, from already tamed parents. Steppe lynxes are non-social animals, unsuited to living in a group, therefore such wild cats constantly fight with their relatives and expel them from their territory.

The attitude towards representatives of other species is also very tense. There are often cases where caracals attack dogs that are larger than them. Wild cats very active, love various games, they are quick-witted and amenable to training.

If the exotic animal is not planned to be used for breeding, then the best option would be sterilization or castration. Cats that have undergone sterilization rarely mark their territory with urine, and cats that are neutered in a timely manner are more docile and do not show aggression towards their owners.

Caracal breeding

There is no specific breeding season for caracals. Wild cats are capable of mating throughout the year, but the main peak occurs between October and February. It is at this time that a large amount of food is observed in natural conditions, which allows the steppe lynx to begin procreation. The mating season is accompanied by females excreting large quantities urine with special pheromones that attract males.

This is interesting! During the mating season, caracals emit certain sound signals that resemble a loud cough. Over the course of several days, females mate with several males, but preference is always given to the largest, most active and strongest individuals.

Pregnancy can last from 68 to 81 days. Kittens are born in a secluded place, in rocky crevices or in holes under the roots of plants. In the first few days, the female with her kittens constantly changes the location of the nest. After about two to three weeks, caracal kittens become quite independent, but remain under the care of their mother. Individuals become fully sexually mature closer to a year.

Before you purchase steppe cat, you need to realistically assess your capabilities and prepare for inevitable high maintenance costs.

Where to buy, what to look for

It is best to purchase caracals from a specialized nursery, where you can observe the behavior of the kittens being sold and their parents. As a rule, an animal from a nursery is already accustomed to the tray and basic hygiene procedures.

Sometimes zoos also sell wild animals, but this exotic pet is not capable of becoming tame, and it will be extremely difficult to instill discipline in him. You need to be very careful about offers on the Internet, where animals caught in wild conditions are most often sold. natural environment a habitat.

A healthy animal has a good appetite, sufficient mobility and playfulness.. You need to pay attention to the kitten’s behavior in the presence of people and its attitude towards strangers. Before purchasing, you should make sure that the kitten you are purchasing has no signs of disease and has clean eyes and ears. The coat should be smooth and shiny. The kitten must have a veterinary passport, which contains notes from the state veterinary clinic about the vaccinations performed.

Caracal price

To date average cost The cost of a raised steppe lynx kitten in our country can vary in the range of 410-450 thousand rubles and above. Particularly expensive are melanistic individuals, which are distinguished by unusual coloring, as well as individuals suitable for breeding. It is best to purchase a caracal kitten at six months of age or younger. An older animal has great difficulty getting used to new owners and does not adapt well to an unfamiliar environment.