2013-09-15 Maasai Mara, Kenya

After following the Caracals extensively for three years from 2009 to 2011, I was particularly happy today to find a young male Caracal in a bush. In another bush nearby there was a dead Hare, killed by the mother during the day. At sunset, as he came out of the bush to go to feed on the Hare, something caught the cat’s attention. We parked, fortunately there was no other vehicle on the scene. He came downhill stalking towards us. He came to within half a metre from a tiny bush and paused, his tail flicking nervously, the muscles of his hind leg getting ready for the leap. And in a flash he jumped into the bush and came out with a rat in his mouth, shaking desperately while trying to escape the powerful jaws of the Caracal. He laid down next to our vehicle and started playing with it, although the rat was exhaling his last breath.