Trivia question for Feb-13-2011

Carter shows his infinity for cats again as he picked out todays trivia:

These guys are fiercely territorial cats ranging over Western Asia and Africa.  Their name comes from a Turkish word which means “Black Ears”.  Although it has traditionally been classified as a Lynx, it is no longer considered to be an actual lynx.  Instead, it is now believed to be closely related to the African golden cat.  They are classified as a small cat, yet is amongst the heaviest of all small cats, as well as the quickest.

They are cunning and can leap extraordinarily high in the air in an effort to catch bird prey in mid flight.  Unfortunately, these guys are often viewed as vermin by farmers in Africa as they may prey on domesticated livestock such as poultry and young sheep and goats.  Each year thousands are killed by farmers and by hunters for their shin and meat.

These guys are rarely seen in the wild as they hide extremely well.  Game drives in countries such as Kenya and Botswana widely encounter other animals, but a sighting of one of these is extremely rare.

So here’s Carter’s questions:  Tell us what their Turkish name is and also tell us how high they can reportedly jump in their pursuit of prey.

Good Luck and don’t forget tomorrow is Valentines Day 😉

Answer:

The picture we chose for the trivia was too cute.   Lots of folks thought it was of a Serval, but in fact this is a Caracal.  These guys get their name from the Turkish word “karakulak”, meaning “black ear.  It is best known for its spectacular skill at hunting birds, able to snatch a bird in flight, sometimes more than one at a time. It can jump reportedly as high as 10-feet and climb exceptionally well, which enables it to catch hyraxes better than probably any other carnivore.

Here is more on these amazing cats: Caracal

Thanks for playing along 😉