Caracals are known as the ‘big small cats’ of Southern Africa. Walking along the foot paths of the Tygerberg Nature reserve you may be lucky enough to see this majestic and elusive cat wondering the hills.

Here in the boundaries of Cape Town it can be seen as one of the top predators and therefore should be paid special attention. As a research project for a National Diploma, one such student decided it was time to give the cats the attention they deserved, as elusive top predators in an ever changing urban environment. The title of the research was ‘Establishing the Spatial Distribution and Movements of a Caracal (Caracal caracal) at the Tygerberg Nature Reserve, Cape Town.

On the 14th July 2009, a female caracal, weighing approximately 12 kilograms was captured and fitted with a GPS tracking collar, the first caracal to be collared in the area. Over a period of seven months, the data sent by the collar was collected and analysed. Over 4500 GPS points were received and the information this shy creature shared with us was invaluable and astounding.

From the image below, it has been said that this female obtained two home ranges and left the reserves boundaries on a daily basis. The data collected also allowed for the analysis of the caracals movements during day and night, winter and summer and full moon and new moon. The final results have given an insight to this species movement in an urban environment and prove the need to expand on our natural areas. Research is still underway on trying to establish the population of the area and the data collected in the above mentioned research will aid this.

 

 

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