Caracal responsible for penguin deaths captured

Sunday 10 July 2016

SABC

The City of Cape Town identified the caracal by installing trap cameras in the area. (Wikipedia)

Environment authorities believe they have caught the predator responsible for killing a spate of endangered African penguins in the Simon's Town area.

In the past two weeks, a caracal killed at least 20 penguins.

On Friday, City of Cape Town Environmental Officer, Arne Purves, says the City is concerned about the decline in the population of the penguin species.

The City identified the caracal by installing trap cameras in the area.

Environmental Officer, Arne Purves, says the shoreline between Windmill beach and Froggy pond, which was closed to the public during the search, has now been reopened.

“We successfully caught a caracal just south of Froggy pond. The animal was tranquillised in the cage. She was checked by a vet and found to be healthy adult female caracal. She was then radio-collared and released back into the Table Mountain National park away from the penguin colony,” says Purves.

Purves says it is in the nature of the caracal to kill penguins and small mammals.

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