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Wild Caracals Living On Table Mountain, But Not For Long Unless They Get Help

  • March 17, 2020
  • News
  • South Africa
African lynx

Few people know that wild cats called caracals (a.k.a rooikat or African lynx) still live in Cape Town. These beautiful, mainly nocturnal predators live around the famous Table Mountain and survive on wild prey like rodents and birds.  They are not a threat to people, but they are vulnerable as never before.

Leopards are now locally extinct on the Cape Peninsula, making caracals the largest remaining predator, and only about 60 of them are estimated to still roam the mountains. However, people may be killing them without even knowing it.  Caracals on the Cape Peninsula die from exposure to poisons and diseases. We are trying to help save them.

Caracals
Cape Town Caracals eat reptiles and rodents, including poisoned rats

Many of these shy cats die from exposure to diseases carried by domestic animals, such as toxoplasmosis, parvovirus and feline AIDS. They are also being killed by poisons that urban residents put down for rodents and other small pests.

The Urban Caracal Project, based at the University of Cape Town, conducts research on these urban caracals that live close to people. The organisation is collaring and collecting data about caracals  to better understand how these wild cats are adapting to rapid urbanisation and human encroachment on their natural territories.

Caracals
Very few people know that Table Mountain is home to wild caracals. Here’s proof. That’s the Cape Town Stadium in the background.

It is vital that we learn, for example, just how badly exposure to poison affects caracal health, and how that might affect the remaining caracal population in the future.

We need funds to perform genetic analysis and to test for poison exposure. This will help scientists to better understand what is killing the caracals of Table Mountain, how genetic inbreeding is affecting the population, and how we can stop this tragedy. NFA cares about all animals – domestic and wild, rural and urban – and is very concerned that caracals might completely disappear from the Cape Peninsula. We have promised to help raise the funds the project needs to send samples for testing and raise awareness about caracal conservation.

Caracals
Table Mountains beautiful wild caracal cats are under threat from poison in Cape Town.

David Barritt, executive director of Network for Animals, said: “It is fascinating and rather comforting that these marvellous creatures manage to survive on the fringe of a city of five million people with dense urban areas.

“If we can manage the ensure that caracals survive so close to Cape Town, it gives hope that our children and grandchildren will one day see them living happily on Table Mountain.”

Caracals
Incredibly beautiful wild cats in a last stand on Table Mountain.

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Lisa-Mari Spence

Leadership Gifts Officer

Lisa-Mari was raised in South Africa and joined the NFA team as the UK fundraiser after relocating to Greece. With a background in public relations and a passion for helping animals her role at NFA is a perfect match.

Alissa Ford

Director of Leadership Gifts, USA

Alissa is the Director of Leadership Gifts in the United States. She has a background in nonprofit fundraising and marketing, but believes all paths led her to Network for Animals, where she is able to combine her professional experience with her personal passion for animal welfare. Alissa lives in Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and her fur-baby Ollie, who is treated like the prince he thinks he is, since his human brother and sister are grown and now living on their own. Alissa loves speaking to our supporters who she truly considers a community of fellow animal lovers.