'Cute' spelled 'caracal' at Oregon Zoo

From the Oregon Zoo

The Oregon Zoo's three caracal kittens are now five weeks old, and their tufted ears - a distinguishing feature of the small African cats - are fully upright. At birth, the kittens' ears were flat against their heads. The male and two females continue to do well, as does their mother, Peggy.

"The kittens are very healthy and growing quickly," said senior Africa keeper Asaba Mukobi. "In the past week, the male has put on about half a pound, and his sisters gained almost as much. Peggy is doing a great job of making sure they eat enough."

The kittens are very active and enjoy playing on a series of climbing logs, which keepers recently placed in the behind-the-scenes area where Peggy and the kittens spend their time.

The zoo's Africa keepers are voting on possible names for the kittens.

While Peggy and the kittens are off exhibit, the kittens' father, Cricket, can still be seen by zoo visitors. Cricket was born at the Lory Park Zoo and Owl Sanctuary in South Africa, and moved to the Oregon Zoo in winter 2011. Peggy came to the zoo in 2009 from a conservation center in Mena, Ark.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which coordinates nationwide breeding programs for many of the species housed by zoos, recommended Cricket and Peggy as a breeding pair because the cats are from the same subspecies.

The zoo's caracal habitat, which was built with the support of Portland General Electric, is part of the zoo's Predators of the Serengeti exhibit. The caracals have access to a heated den and a spacious landscape dotted with trees, shrubs, heated rocks and grassy knolls, all of which are enriching for the feline residents.

Caracals live in the woodlands and savannas of North Africa, Southwest Asia and the Arabian Peninsula. While caracals are listed in the category of "least concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, hunting and habitat loss pose risks to wild populations. The caracal is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. CITES is an international treaty controlling the trade of threatened and endangered plants and animals.

The zoo is a service of Metro and is dedicated to its mission to inspire the community to create a better future for wildlife. Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California condors, Washington's pygmy rabbits, Oregon silverspot butterflies, western pond turtles, Oregon spotted frogs and Kincaid's lupine. Other projects include studies on black rhinos, Asian elephants, polar bears and bats.

The zoo opens at 9 a.m. daily, and is located five minutes from downtown Portland, just off Highway 26. The zoo is also accessible by MAX light rail line. Zoo visitors who travel to the zoo via MAX receive $1.50 off zoo admission. Call TriMet Customer Service, 503-238-RIDE (7433), or visit www.trimet.org for fare and route information.

General admission is $10.50 (ages 12-64), $9 for seniors (65 and up), $7.50 for children (ages 3-11) and free for those 2 and younger; 25 cents of the admission price helps fund regional conservation projects through the zoo's Future for Wildlife program. A parking fee of $2 per car is also required. Additional information is available at www.oregonzoo.org or by calling 503-226-1561.