Exotic wild cat native to Africa and Asia found under home in Chicago suburbs

An exotic large cat native to parts of Africa and Asia has been found hiding under a resident’s deck after being spotted wandering around an Illinois golf club in the suburbs of Chicago, police said.

The Hoffman Estates Police Department in Illinois said they were made aware over the last few days of a “large cat in the area of Della Dr and the Hilldale Golf Course” and that the cat was identified to be a caracal, which are characterized by their striking looks with long legs, short tail, long tufted ears and large canine teeth.

After several days, authorities were able to locate and “take the caracal into custody,” according to a statement from the Hoffman Estates Police Department.

“The cat was hiding under a resident's deck and is unharmed,” police said. “The Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat located in Sharon, Wisconsin, is en route to pick him up where we are sure he will have a healthy and happy life far away from Hoffman Estates.”

It is currently unknown where the animal came from, who it may have belonged to or how it escaped, but caracals are internationally protected endangered species and authorities are working with local and federal agencies for proper removal.

“The goal of the Hoffman Estates Police Department is to safely relocate the animal to a zoo or wildlife facility that can properly care for it,” authorities said. “As always, our first priority is the safety of the residents of Hoffman Estates and the community.”

The caracal ranges across Africa and the Middle East to India and it is “keenly adapted to the potentially harsh environments of savanna, semi-desert, dry woodland, arid hilly steppe, and dry mountains,” according to the San Diego Zoo.

Females caracals can grow to be between 13 to 35 pounds while males can be anywhere from 18 to 44 pounds in size as an adult.

“Caracals hunt at night but are not picky and eat any prey they can catch, sprinting after mongooses, rodents, hyraxes, dik diks, and monkeys. Occasionally, caracals kill mammals as large as an impala or young kudu and may attack domestic livestock.”

The investigation about where this specific caracal came from is currently ongoing.