Caracal of a Different Color
by Laurie O'Donnell
Land Mammals
Keywords: cat, feline, caracal, south africa, karoo, national park, amelanistic
On our last day in South Africa's Karoo National Park we spotted this special caracal (rooikat in Afrikaans). The name "caracal" is derived from a Turkish word meaning "black-eared", and not unsurprisingly, caracals are known for their black, tufted ears and black facial markings. This cat had neither of those traits due to the genetic mutation known as amelanism, which causes the lack of normal pigmentation.
Image Reference: 1406-09 Ljo Karoo 181Image Format: Digital Capture - Greater than 9MPImage Crop: Greater than 75% of originalModel Release: NoProperty Release: NoCaptive: No
