Cats have all the cool tricks. Around 40 cat species exist on this planet, and they all seem to have some sort of superpower: extreme speed, the strength and agility to attack and kill crocodilians in the water , the ability to thrive in the deep freeze of the Himalayas.

But the caracal ( Caracal caracal ) is arguably the leader of the cat pack when it comes to jumping — able to snag a bird out of the air, no problem.

Physical Characteristics and Name Origins

The caracal is a small, solitary, wildcat with reddish-tan fur, a white chin and underbelly and giant, black tufted ears. In fact, their name comes from the Turkish language: "karrah-kulak," meaning "black ears."

The caracal is sometimes referred to as a "desert lynx" or "Persian lynx." This is understandable, because the

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