Caracal is a city located in Romania. While the name shares its identity with a specific geographical location, it is distinct from the biological species of the same name.
The caracal is also the name of a wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid regions of Pakistan and northwestern India. This feline is characterized by a robust build, long legs, short face, long tufted ears, and relatively short tail. It features a coat that is uniformly reddish tan or sandy in color, with lighter ventral parts marked by small reddish spots.
Physically, the caracal reaches 40–50 cm at the shoulder and weighs between 8–19 kg. It was first scientifically described by German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1776, and there are currently three recognized subspecies of the animal.