Urban Caracal Project

The Urban Caracal Project is dedicated to protecting biodiversity through research and education. Operating under the Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild) at the University of Cape Town, we investigate how urban expansion affects Cape Town's apex predator, the caracal or rooikat.

Our research focuses on understanding caracals in urban environments and addresses critical threats including vehicle collisions (the primary cause of death for Cape Peninsula caracals), snare injuries, tick-borne diseases, parasites, and habitat fragmentation from urbanisation.

The project relies exclusively on donations! Current funding priorities include:

• Stress and poison testing for caracals

• Reflective road-crossing signs at collision hotspots

• Living stipends for researchers and students

We partner with South African National Parks, universities in California, the City of Cape Town, and private landowners to expand our conservation impact. As an umbrella species, protecting caracals simultaneously safeguards numerous other species and habitats across the Cape Town ecosystem.

100% of donations go directly to the project. All donations are processed through the UCT Donations Account.