A wild animal, not local at all, approached the built environment. Indeed, a caracal was seen on Monday in the streets of Courgenay, according to a video sent by a listener. The animal had already been seen the previous week in the forest. Recognizable with its long tufted ears, the caracal, also called the desert lynx, is a feline living in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
At present, the reasons for the presence of a caracal in Ajoie remain quite unclear. Two scenarios emerge: either the feline managed to escape from a zoo in the region or neighboring France, or it was illegally detained by a private person, explained Amaury Boillat, who deplores the existence of a black market. . The wildlife inspector at the Cantonal Environment Office emphasizes that the caracal has no place in our wild ecosystem and that it must be removed from there, a difficult action given that the animal is hyper mobile . A cage trap with bait, meat since the caracal is carnivorous, was installed. Amaury Boillat emphasizes that the feline represents no risk for the population. The animal was approached 2-3 meters away and did not show signs of aggression.
The wildlife inspector further told us that the Environment Office had contacted the Consumer and Veterinary Affairs Service (SCAV). The latter has, a priori, not received any alert of caracal escapes in the Jura arc. Once captured, the feline will be returned to an approved animal park, according to Amaury Boillat. /ech
The caracal strolling through the streets of Courgenay, filmed by a listener: