I think the caracal is the coolest of the lesser cats. In the old days they were trained by the Indian rajas to hunt like the cheetah. The caracal was used mostly for hunting coveys of partridge and sandgrouse where a champion cat could take 8 birds from a covey often while air borne! They were also used to hunt small antelope like chinkara gazzel.

I wonder if anyone has tried training them in Africa. I think it would be an awesome experience to hunt with them.

that would be soo cool what a great idea

quote:

champion cat could take 8 birds from a covey often while air borne!

Naki, think it would be a great idea.
Is there any proof of the above statement. I just cant see how the logistics of catching 8 birds at once would work or could it possibly have been in a series of attacks etc.
i have seen pictures of one hitting 2 guinaefowl in one leap here in SA.

I have a friend who has hand reared cheeetah cubs and hunts alongside them, I will ask him his thoughts on lynx

I’m guessing it will take some really great animal skill & patience to train them, but I’m sure it’s possible. Would be a real labour of love given the time & dedication it would require.

In the early 80s I was doing my national service and my unit was the 7th SA Infantry Bat, based at Phalaborwa, right next to the Kruger Nat Park. The caracal (Rooikat in Afrikaans) is the unit’s symbol & mascot. Our OC always kept a few in a special facility and the Mil. Police unit was in charge of them. Every now & then there’d be an escape, and the whole battalion would be called out to find the OC’s pet…

One of his biggest passions was to hold grand parades, and it was in his mind essential that the poor “rooikat” be part of the proceedings. The battalion would come onto the parade ground in company formations led by the battalion brass band followed by two MPs with a collared & double leashed rooikat being dragged unwillingly between them. Then, as the band struck up, it was pretty usual for the rooikat to get his head out the loop and disappear into the distance. I seem to recall you’d get an extra weekend pass for recovering missing rooikatte….

There are records in Indian hunting literature of caracal takng 8 to 10 birds in one stalk / attack.

This site claims 10 to 12 birds - http://www.indiantiger.org/wild-cats/caracal.html

Here are more links - fficial&client=firefox-a" target="_blank">http://www.google.co.in/search...ial&client=firefox-a

That makes sense now,
Seems they were in an arena where the birds could not escape.

I would say that in a wild scenario the likely hood of getting 2 in one hunt would be slim except for a cat in perfect position.Their acrobatics are amazing to say the least.

Oh! After reading that article I get it now.

Any way - getting even 2 or 3 birds in a wild hunt would be an awesome sight.

Who is the PH / Outfiter who is prepared to give this a go.

I wonder if Saeed would try it with pet caracal. After all the Arabs still hunt with eagles & falcons.

And the spaniards. We love our falcons and eagles. is the upmost exciting hunting for partridge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUK8uHEF_LU


Great video of Caracal hunting birds.