A caracal is the largest African small cat and is mostly considered a wildcat, aka desert lynx. These wildcats are endangered and one was recently found in the suburbs of Chicago. The wildcat appeared in the Hoffman Estates village and has now been successfully captured.
Per the police department, the feline was not injured and is being moved to The Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat in Sharon, Wisconsin.
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While caracals appear similar to house cats, they have more slender bodies that weigh around 20 to 40 pounds. They have short but dense fur and are brown to tan in color. They have dark lines on their faces and white spots around their eyes. One of the most attractive features of these wildcats is their long ears. Their ears have 20 muscles which allow them flexible movement.
Caracals are mostly found in Africa and Asia. However, some American families also keep them as pets. These carnivorous animals are mostly dangerous as they could eat other small animals, birds, and small children.
What happened to the caracal found in Illinois?
The Hoffman Estates Police Department recently made the citizens aware of a wildcat roaming around in the village. The officials urged people to stay cautious and inform the police whenever they spot the animal.
On Tuesday morning, the officials finally captured the wildcat. Per ABC7 Chicago, the feline was spotted on her back patio of Jan Hoffman-Rau. Jan shared her experience of spotting the animal and said,
"The moment I saw it, I thought to myself, I have no idea what that is. It's not normal."
It took about a dozen officers to capture the animal and cage him. They had to use a tranquilizer on the animal to corner him. In a Facebook post, the police department informed the public.
"The Hoffman Estates Police Department was able to take the Caracal into custody. The cat was hiding under a resident's deck and is unharmed. The Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat located in Sharon Wisconsin is enroute to pick him up where we are sure he will have a healthy and happy life far away from Hoffman Estates," read the statement.
Per Jill Carnegie of Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat, the feline was about eight months to one year old. He must have been someone's pet and they let him go. The sanctuary's officials were called to pick up the feline.
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