Intaka Island is Century City’s award-winning 16-hectare wetlands and conservation area. It is home to 177 species of indigenous fynbos plants and 120 bird species. However, what you don’t expect when birding, is seeing a caracal. This beautiful and shy cat has been spotted in a few places across the island over the last few months.
Caracal catching prey in October 2021. Picture: Supplied / Louis Jones
Louis Jones managed to snap some fantastic images of a caracal making a kill rceently. The specific location is not disclosed to deter visitors from flocking to the area and possibly disturbing the resident caracal.
The caracal, or ‘rooikat’ (Afrikaans for ‘red cat’), has distinctive tufted black ears and a creamy underbelly with faded orange spots. Its face has exquisite markings, and it has light green to light orange eyes.
Caracal catching prey in October 2021. Picture: Supplied / Louis Jones
‘It is incredibly special to see a caracal on Intaka Island,’ said Louise de Roubaix, Environmental & Horticulture Manager at Century City Property Owners’ Association.
Picture: Supplied / Stacey-Lee Roberts
‘As Intaka Island is a Conservation area, it is vital that we retain and protect the animals in their natural environment as much as possible, which means limiting disturbance, direct contact, or feeding. Let’s respect and admire our wild animals from a distance,’ she added.
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