This wild animal with otherworldly eyes is simply enchanting. And people don’t often recognize it for what it is. Most attention is typically focused on lions, tigers, and leopards. But among the members of the feline family, there are equally astonishing and beautiful animals that deserve just as much interest.

This graceful predator is slightly larger than a domestic cat and has delicate tufts on its ears, ready to capture anyone’s heart. It’s no surprise that in its natural habitat, this desert cat was among the domesticated predators.

Today, its price can reach up to $5,000, and it is kept as a substitute for a dog.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the caracal.

Some people think it’s a lynx, but that’s not the case. The caracal is smaller, slimmer, and has a solid color. They are wonderfully reddish, with their fur ranging from light beige to bright red depending on their habitat.

Their name comes from the Turkish word “Karakulak,” which means “black ears.”

Caracals live in trees or in burrows that they dig themselves while raising their young.

Caracals eat rabbits, rodents, and birds — they are true predators. The notion that caracals can go for long periods without water is not entirely accurate. They obtain moisture from their food.

Thanks to their highest activity at dawn and dusk, these animals were trained and used in ancient Persia and India as hunters.

Magnificent cats!