Caracal Kittens Born At Prague Zoo

The caracal kittens were born on 12 May. They are best seen at around 10 am and 3 pm, when their mother is usually fed. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

“Although the female had several shelters and hollows to choose from, she gave birth outside despite the rain,” says Prague Zoo carnivore keeper Martin Priadka. “Even though she later moved the kittens to safety, on another day she exposed them to the elements again. We were therefore unsure whether this first-time mother would successfully rear them. Now, however, everything seems to be on the right track,” Priadka adds.

The kittens are provided with various forms of enrichment by the keepers, but they also happily play with fallen leaves or bark—in short, with anything that moves. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The young female did not meet the male until she arrived at Prague Zoo. The newly formed pair quickly took a liking to each other and soon began mating. Their cohabitation worked well even after the kittens were born, with the male guarding not only the female but also the young. However, contrary to expectations, mating occurred again. The mother began to lose interest in her offspring, and the keepers therefore had to separate the male. To ensure a calm environment, the visitor path near the enclosure was also temporarily closed.

Apart from sleeping, the kittens spend most of their time chasing one another. Recently, the siblings have begun competing over food. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

“At first, the mother tried to keep the kittens close to her and would carry them firmly by the scruff of the neck wherever she needed them, but the kittens have now grown and are starting to resist her efforts at discipline,” Priadka explains. The female therefore keeps an even closer watch over them. The kittens chase one another and involve their mother in their games—most often by energetically biting her and tugging at her tail.

Biting is a common part of play behaviour in caracal kittens. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

The kittens will remain with their mother for several more months. They will begin to become independent at around five months of age, when their permanent teeth come in. The sex of the kittens is not yet known.

Driven by maternal instinct, the female has, since giving birth, been eating and defecating as far away from her offspring as possible, and she also consumes their faeces. In the wild, such measures are important in preventing detection by predators. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Initially, the kittens have entirely blue eyes, which later change to a greener colour. Photo: Anna Žižková, Prague Zoo