Researchers have spent years trapping and tracking the elusive caracal on the edges of the South African city of Cape Town to better understand the needs of these wild cats.
Urban caracals have adapted their behavior in a number of ways to survive on the margins of the city, including hunting more during the day.
Although highly adaptable, urban caracals face many challenges, including ingesting rat poison.
Researchers recommend more greenways to allow the animals to survive in these heavily modified environments.
Even in the isolated, scrubby plains of the savanna, spotting the black ear tufts of a caracal prowling nearby remains a rare opportunity. The wild cat, sometimes known as the lynx of the desert, prefers elusive solitude. But lately, residents of Cape Town, South Africa, have noticed the predators somewhere new: in their own neighborhoods.
