The Cape of Good Hope SPCA was called in to assist with treating a male caracal struck by a car in Newlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SPCA Wildlife Officer Jon Friedman collected the cat from Belmont Veterinary Hospital after it was hit by a car in Rhodes Drive, Newlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe cat had been placed in a cage, on a drip and was awake but still quite sedated when I arrived to collect it,\u201d said Friedman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a passing motorist, who witnessed the accident and was brave enough to stop and pick up the stunned animal, the vehicle that struck the cat drove away without stopping. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, x-rays done by attending veterinarians showed that the animal had sustained mild injuries and that there were no signs of internal injury or fractures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the animal showed definite signs of having sustained a concussion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before transportation to the SPCA\u2019s Wildlife Unit, the cat was sedated and treated with a sodium lactate drip and given pain medication by veterinarians at Belmont Veterinary Hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additional consultation was sought from Panthera Africa, who is experienced in dealing with caracals. \u201cPanthera Africa provided feeding guidelines and gave advice on managing concussion. In addition, The Urban Caracal Project was contacted to confirm if the animal reflected on their records. The Caracal had not been registered with them before and they requested that we take fur and blood samples for their studies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After 72 hours of careful monitoring the cat showed signs of improvement and recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe began eating well and responding to audio and visual stimulus and was recorded moving around his enclosure at night. After four days it was clear that he was ready for release back into his natural range,\u201d said Friedman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
CapeNature was notified of the incident and provided guidance as to where the animal should best be re-released. The male caracal was released back into the wild on Thursday 5 May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is always inspiring to be able to see an injured animal recover enough to be released back into the wild, even more so when it is an animal which we don\u2019t often encounter such as the elusive caracal cat. The fact that caracals are the last big predator species on the Cape Peninsula makes this recovery and release extra special,\u201d added Friedman. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Caracals are found across the African continent through the Middle East, Central Asia, Pakistan and north-western India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA was called in to assist with treating a male caracal struck by a car in 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