Caracal's distribution extends beyond Africa into Central Asia, India, and the Middle East. Hunting of the Southern Caracal, which lives in East and South Africa, is permitted. There are hunting opportunities in Ethiopia, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

A caracal is slightly smaller than a serval, with a shoulder length of roughly 50 mm. However, it weighs roughly the same (8–18 kg) and has a longer (up to 5 m) and greater (up to 3.7 m) jumping range. A caracal can grab birds in midair because it is an excellent jumper.  Rodents and lizards are among the many creatures that caracals can prey on. But it also frequently preys on the young of larger antelopes as well as lesser antelopes like springboks and impalas. Moreover, domestic cattle—particularly sheep and goats—can fall prey to caracals. Being a solitary species, they tend to stick together exclusively during breeding seasons, such as when a cat has kittens.

The caracal is a poor man's leopard if the wildebeest is a poor man's buffalo. This has nothing to do with looks. A caracal, so named because of its sometimes-solid sandy coat, resembles a lynx due to its black, tufted ears, long legs, and comparatively short tail. The name "kara" (black) and "kulak" (ear) are Turkic origins that refer to the black tufts on the species. The hunting techniques and the difficulty of capturing the cat in the sights are similarities between the caracal and the leopard. Clever, nocturnal, and solitary, the cat is among the most resilient game in Africa for its size.