In the port city of Port Elizabeth (South Africa), a dockworker was a little shocked when he stepped into the work toilet.
Inside was a huddled ball of fur, seemingly motionless. But suddenly it started growling…
Earlier this year, the dockworker had to take a short toilet break at work.
Frozen solid
But as soon as he opened the door of the toilet, he froze. Inside, there was an unidentifiable ball of fur behind the toilet.
All he could see was fur. But suddenly it started growling. That’s when the worker realized what it was: a wild caracal.
The caracal resembles a lynx a lot, but they are actually not closely related. A caracal can grow to about 65 centimeters long and weigh up to 20 kilograms, living predominantly south of the Sahara.
Slammed the door shut
In a panic, the man slammed the door shut and immediately called for help, which came in the form of Arnold Slabbert, who works in the region rescuing wild animals.
Slabbert is used to rescuing stray wild animals, but he had never had to rescue a caracal before, as they are rarely seen in inhabited areas.
Released into the wild
It is highly likely that the poor caracal was chased by people and relocated to the port.
After much cunning and repairs, Slabbert managed to capture the caracal and put it in a cage.
Less than half an hour later, Slabbert was able to release the animal into the open air where it belongs.
