Photos of wildlife on social media have the power to boost conservation by depicting predators not only as beautiful, but as similar to domestic pets. A new study has found that, through their millions of followers, Instagram and Facebook can steer public engagement and awareness toward support for predators like wildcats, who are sometimes shot […]
Tag: Caracal
Inbreeding adds to growing threats to Africa’s smallest wildcat, study finds
Populations of the black-footed cat, a little-known feline in Southern Africa, have been declining for the last half a million years and exhibit very high degrees of inbreeding. This could increase their risk of a disease called amyloidosis, according to a new genetic study. “Frequently genomic studies focus on large charismatic cats so that small […]
Wild Caracal Captured in Chicago Suburb
Residents of Hoffman Estates, a suburb northwest of Chicago, were startled by the sight of a wild cat roaming their neighborhood. After being spotted multiple times, local authorities managed to capture the elusive animal on Tuesday. Using a pole with a cord, they were able to lasso the caracal from under a resident’s deck. The […]
Ridiculously rare photo catches Asian caracal swimming a river in India
If you’ve ever thought of the caracal before, you’ve probably pictured it inhabiting the savannas of Africa, its long-fringed ears sticking up above the wild grasses. But although the caracal (Caracal caracal) is best known from its African habitats, a tiny population persists in India. It’s here, on the Chambal River, that a tourist, Vaibhav […]