By Joanna Putman
Police1
CHICAGO — An exotic wild cat, identified as a caracal, was captured in a Chicago suburb nearly 24 hours after police warned residents of the animal’s presence, NBC5 Chicago reported.
The large feline was found hiding under a deck at a residence on Oct. 15 and was safely taken into custody by the Hoffman Estates Police Department according to the report.
Cellphone footage captured officers handling a large cage containing the caracal, which appeared unharmed. The cat was later seen resting quietly in the cage, with a blanket covering it, in the back of a pickup truck.
The Hoffman Estates Police Department confirmed that the caracal was located without incident and is now headed to The Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat in Sharon, Wisconsin. Officials expressed confidence that the animal will live a healthy and safe life at the sanctuary, far from the suburban area where it was discovered.
Police were uncertain how the animal ended up in Hoffman Estates but had advised residents not to approach or feed it, according to the report. Caracals, which are native to Africa and Asia, weigh between 20 and 40 pounds and are known for hunting small mammals and birds.
Caracals are endangered and are not typically found in the United States, though some are kept as pets.
