Species comparison
Caracal vs African Wildcat
A side-by-side look at Caracal caracal and Felis lybica across body measurements, habitat, diet, behaviour and conservation status.
At a glance
- The caracal averages about 2.7 times the body mass of the african wildcat.
- Both species use semi-arid scrub and savanna.
- Their ranges both include Africa and Asia.
- Both are currently listed as Least Concern on the Red List.
Identification
How each species is named and classified.
Caracal
Caracal caracal
African Wildcat
Felis lybica
Caracal
Caracal
African Wildcat
Felis
Caracal
Caracal lineage
African Wildcat
Domestic cat lineage
Caracal
Medium-sized cats
African Wildcat
Small cats
Caracal
Desert lynx, Persian lynx
African Wildcat
Near Eastern wildcat, Asiatic wildcat
Body and movement
Published field measurements for adults. Ranges cover both sexes unless noted.
Caracal
2 ft – 3 ft (62–91 cm) Longer
African Wildcat
18 in – 2 ft 6 in (45–75 cm)
Caracal
7 in – 13 in (18–34 cm)
African Wildcat
10 in – 15 in (25–38 cm) Longer
Caracal
16 in – 20 in (40–50 cm) Taller
African Wildcat
13 in – 15 in (32–38 cm)
Caracal
15–42 lb (7–19 kg) Heavier
Males average noticeably heavier than females across the range.
African Wildcat
6.6–14 lb (3–6.5 kg)
Males average about a kilogram heavier than females.
Caracal
50 mph (80 km/h)
Short sprints over open ground; the species is better known for vertical leaping than for sustained speed.
African Wildcat
Not reliably measured
Not measured in the field.
Life span
Typical adult longevity. Figures for managed care come from zoo and sanctuary records.
Caracal
10–12 years Longer
African Wildcat
8–12 years
Caracal
16–19 years Longer
African Wildcat
15–17 years
Habitat and range
Where each species lives and the conditions it tolerates.
Caracal
semi-arid scrub, savanna, dry forest, desert, montane forest
Dry woodland, scrub, semi-desert and rocky hills; caracals avoid true desert interiors and dense equatorial rainforest but do well on farmland margins.
African Wildcat
savanna, semi-arid scrub, dry forest, grassland, agricultural mosaic
Almost every habitat in Africa except rainforest interior and the driest sand seas, plus scrub and steppe across the Middle East and Central Asia.
Caracal
Africa, Asia
Widespread across Africa outside the Sahara core and Congo rainforest, and through the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, Central Asia and into north-western India.
African Wildcat
Africa, Asia
Across Africa outside the Congo rainforest, and through the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, Central Asia and into western India and China.
Diet and behaviour
Feeding ecology, social organisation and hunting technique.
Caracal
small mammals, birds, hares, medium ungulates
Hyrax, hares, rodents and gamebirds form the bulk of the diet, with small antelope taken by larger individuals.
African Wildcat
small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects
Rodents form the great majority of the diet, with birds, lizards and insects making up the remainder.
Caracal
Solitary and territorial
Adults hold large ranges and are rarely seen; they are among the most successful cats at persisting in farmed landscapes, which brings them into conflict with sheep farmers.
African Wildcat
Solitary
Solitary and territorial, though tolerant of human settlement — the same trait that started the domestication process.
Caracal
Nocturnal
Almost entirely night active where persecuted; more crepuscular activity is recorded inside protected areas.
African Wildcat
Nocturnal and crepuscular
Mostly active from dusk to dawn, resting by day in burrows, thickets and rock crevices.
Caracal
Stalk and vertical leap
The caracal creeps close, then launches; birds flushing from cover are struck in mid-air, sometimes several feet above the ground.
African Wildcat
Stalk and pounce on rodents
Hunts by walking slowly through cover, freezing at sounds and finishing with a short rush.
Caracal
Strong
Climbs well and will cache food in trees, though it hunts on the ground.
African Wildcat
Strong
Climbs well and uses trees for escape and rest.
Caracal
Limited More developed
Occupies dry country and rarely encounters, or enters, deep water.
African Wildcat
Very limited
Avoids water, in common with most arid-country cats.
Conservation
Red List category, population direction and the pressures documented for each species.
Caracal
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2016
African Wildcat
LC — Least Concern
Assessed 2022
Caracal
Stable
African Wildcat
Decreasing
Caracal
Killing in response to livestock losses, Habitat conversion in Asia, Road mortality near cities, Trade as exotic pets, Depletion of small-mammal prey
Widespread and reasonably secure in Africa; populations in Central Asia and North Africa are much smaller and are considered at risk locally.
African Wildcat
Hybridisation with domestic cats, Disease transmitted by domestic cats, Habitat conversion, Persecution near poultry, Road mortality
The species remains widespread, but genetic mixing with free-ranging domestic cats is eroding wild populations, particularly near settlements. Pure wild-type populations are increasingly restricted to remote areas.
Notable traits
Details that do not fit neatly into a measurement table.
Caracal
- The name derives from a Turkish word meaning "black ear".
- Caracals were historically trained in Persia and India to hunt birds, a practice recorded for centuries.
- Urban caracals on the Cape Peninsula in South Africa are the subject of a long-running research programme.
African Wildcat
- All domestic cats descend from this species, not from the European wildcat.
- Wild individuals sit with a distinctly upright posture that helps separate them from feral tabbies.
- Genetic screening is now a standard part of conservation work, since appearance alone cannot confirm a pure wild animal.
Sources used for this comparison
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Global assessment categories, population trends and documented threats.
- IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group Species accounts, distribution notes and Cat News reporting for every wild felid.
- Panthera Field research programmes and species profiles for big and small wild cats.
- Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation Dedicated research and field reporting on the lesser-known felids.
- Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Reviewed species accounts with morphometric ranges and reproductive data.
- National Geographic — Animals General natural-history reference for behaviour, range and ecology.