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 capture took place allegedly without harm to the animal, and officials confirmed that the caracal would soon be transported to a Wisconsin animal sanctuary where they will live a safe and healthy life.
According to the police, this will ensure the large cat is “far away from Hoffman Estates.”
The caracal was first seen in the area about a week before their capture. Jan Hoffman-Rau, a local resident, recounted her close encounter with the animal.
“Then it starts coming up on my deck, jumped on my deck, actually looked at me through the window,” she told WBBM-TV, recalling the surprise of seeing the wild cat in her own backyard.
Caracals, which are native to regions including Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, typically hunt small mammals, rodents, and birds.
How this particular caracal ended up in suburban Illinois remains a mystery.
This article by Trinity Sparke was first published by One Green Planet on 18 October 2024. Image Credit :Dubrox/Shutterstock.
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