The Caracal is considered the fastest of the smaller African wildcats. They are supreme hunters with the ability to jump into the air to hook their escaping avian prey. Some of them have been recorded to jump as high as 3m (10ft) to snag an escaping pigeon or pheasant from the sky.
As if the height of the jump is not impressive enough, this cat could put some acrobats to shame with his ability to twist in the air to prepare for a perfect landing. His paws are designed with extra fur between the toes to ensure for a smooth, shock-absorbing landing.
He can rotate his upper and lower body separately in order to swing himself back into in upright position from a jump. Large ears allow him to track mice and finches hidden in the grass. There is no escaping this perfectly designed predator.
I wanted to capture this cat in the air. I wanted this art piece to defy gravity. The caracal has his claws dug into the chest of a fleeing pheasant while a second pheasant tries to make a run for it at his feet. His posture seems to resemble that of a ballerina. It is a deadly dance, frozen in time.
