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3 Caracal Kittens born at Nashville Zoo




One of three caracal kittens born April 11 at Nashville Zoo.Courtest / Nashville Zoo

One of three caracal kittens born April 11 at Nashville Zoo.Courtest / Nashville Zoo

Nashville Zoo announced Wednesday the birth of three caracal kittens on April 11.

The two males and one female were born to Marula (mother) and Baobab (father), one of two pairs of caracals living in a behind-the-scenes area of the zoo. The kittens are being hand-reared by the zoo’s veterinary and carnivore teams for eventual close-up experiences with zoo visitors. Guests can see the newborns at Nashville Zoo’s HCA Healthcare Veterinary Center daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feeding is at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“These kittens will become ambassador animals for their species so it’s important to acclimate them to human care early,” said Heather Schwartz, Director of Veterinary Services for Nashville Zoo in a statement. “Eventually, they will travel to another zoo to help educate guests about their species, their habitats, and the importance of protecting their environments.”

This is the third litter of caracal kittens born at Nashville Zoo since the arrival of two pairs of adults in early 2020. With these three, there are currently 36 caracals in AZA-accredited zoos (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) with nine of those at Nashville Zoo. Two of Nashville’s caracals (Zain and Samir) can be seen on the zoo’s guest pathways or in the zoo’s Wild Works animal shows.

One of three caracal kittens born April 11 at Nashville Zoo.Courtesy / Nashville Zoo

One of three caracal kittens born April 11 at Nashville Zoo.Courtesy / Nashville Zoo

Caracals are native across Africa and the Middle East to India. The most noticeable feature of this species is their black ear tufts. Caracals are extremely agile and can jump nine feet straight up to catch flying birds. While caracals are not considered endangered, their habitats are threatened by human development.

 

 

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