Escape artist caracal free at last

Update

KNYSNA NEWS - A young female caracal revealed the skills of a true escape artist, even while being treated for a broken pelvis, but the young female cat finally got her "real" freedom on Thursday 2 May after being released back into the wild.

The caracal had been run over by a car along the airport road in Plettenberg Bay, opposite Robberg Quarries, on 7 March and was taken to the Robberg Veterinary Clinic by a Good Samaritan.

The concerned resident was able to handle the animal because it was still in shock, said Hanlie Roux, a veterinary nurse at the clinic. The female was the second caracal injured along this stretch of road in a short space of time.

The other injured animal, a large male, unfortunately succumbed to its injuries.

Seven weeks after the accident and following a combined effort by the Robberg Veterinary Clinic, the George Rex Veterinary Clinic in Knysna, the Tenikwa Wildlife Rehabilitation and Awareness Centre, and Cape Nature, the caracal was set free in a nature area in the Plett surrounds.

"Our little Caracal Girl is FREE", said a social media post announcing her release.

"She was released in a secure location away from farmers, close to water and there is plenty of food available," said Roux.

This story began to unfold when the injured cat required special care and the specialised operating skills of Dr Herman Steenkamp of George Rex Veterinary Clinic.

Initial examination of the caracal showed two fractures to the pelvis, with some internal bleeding, and the caracal was put on a drip at Robberg Veterinary Clinic.

"She went on a food strike for four days and only after that started feeding on chicken and mince," said Roux.

Planning started for surgery, but it turned out that Dr Brendan Tyndall (Robberg Veterinary Clinic) had a commitment to another veterinary call-out. That was when Dr Steenkamp stepped in and offered his services for free. Plates were fitted to the broken pelvis and the healing process started - or so everyone thought.

The caracal pulled out the stitches of the operating scar - all the way down to the bone. Another procedure was inevitable and Dr Steenkamp came in from Knysna for a second time. In all, while being treated, the caracal pulled out the stitches three times!

The next thing was that the caracal escaped from her confined enclosure by digging a hole under the cage and squeezing through it. She was found hiding among some ferns close-by. She was sedated, put in a crate and taken to Tenikwa.

All efforts were made to save this special caracal. Photos: Sister Hanlie Roux

As if it couldn't get worse, she again opened her stitches, but by this time her wound was treated as an open wound. In addition, the 'patient' was infected with biliary fever (from tick bites) and had to be treated for that too. The 'hospital food' throughout the whole endeavour consisted of chicken-and-mince medication balls. Plans were put in place for her release after recovering sufficiently.

"It was a team effort and we could not have done it without all the donations we received from people in Plett," said Roux.

Describing her release, Roux said: "She bolted out of the cage and in a split second she was back in the wild. I felt a bit emotional, but happy," said Roux, adding that she does not give names to rehabilitating wild animals "as I don't want to become too attached to them".

The escape artist recovering and ready to be released.