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The Caracal's Ear

Short answer: The caracal, a medium-sized wild cat of Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia, gets its name from the Turkish 'karakulak', meaning 'black ears'.

Each tall, black-tufted ear is moved by about 20 muscles in three groups (humans have six), so the two ears can swivel and tilt independently like satellite dishes. Cats in general can turn their outer ears through about 180° and hear high-frequency sounds well beyond human range, including the squeaks and rustles of rodents. Caracals are opportunistic hunters of rodents, birds, hyraxes and even small monkeys. The ear tufts may help funnel sound, but they're most often thought to signal to other caracals.

VideoWrite-up5 sources
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What should you know about The Caracal's Ear?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Each caracal ear is moved by about 20 muscles, letting the two ears swivel independently. Humans have six ear muscles.

    DD-041-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit B (Twenty muscles)

  2. The name 'caracal' comes from the Turkish for 'black ears', after its long black ear tufts.

    DD-041-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Black ears)

Video transcript: The Caracal's Ear: About 20 Muscles Steer Each of a Caracal's Ears

DID YOU KNOW? A caracal's ears are supported by an intricate network of small, highly developed muscles that allow exceptionally precise and independent movement. Each ear can rotate nearly 180°, thanks to strong auricular muscles that adjust angle, tilt, and tension in real time. This mobility lets the caracal pinpoint faint, high-frequency sounds, such as rodents moving under grass. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 20.8s Reel ·

Video coming soonThe Caracal's Ear · Instagram Reel
The Caracal's Ear: About 20 Muscles Steer Each of a Caracal's Ears Instagram Reel · · 20.8s

The write-up

About 20 muscles steer each of a caracal's ears. Humans get six. Each caracal ear swivels on its own to track prey.

  1. Exhibit A

    Black ears

    The name comes from the Turkish 'karakulak', meaning 'black ears', after the long black tufts on its tall, pointed ears.

  2. Exhibit B

    Twenty muscles

    Each ear has about 20 muscles in three groups that move it independently of the other. Humans have six. National Geographic puts it at 'over 20'.

  3. Exhibit C

    Satellite dishes

    The ears are always moving, swiveling and tilting toward sounds to pinpoint prey across open country.

  4. Exhibit D

    180 degrees

    Cats can rotate each outer ear (pinna) about 180°, and use the delay between ears to place a sound within about 8 cm from a meter away.

  5. Exhibit E

    Beyond human hearing

    Cats hear well above the human range. Many studies put the upper limit near 60 kHz, and one tested up to 92 kHz. That range covers many rodent sounds.

  6. Exhibit F

    What the tufts do

    The tufts may funnel sound or camouflage the head in grass. Most researchers think caracals twitch them to communicate.

Questions people ask about The Caracal's Ear

About how many muscles move each caracal ear?

That's about 20 muscles in three groups. Humans have six.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Twenty muscles) · Caracal (Chattanooga Zoo); Caracal: A Jumper Extraordinaire With Satellite Dish Ears (HowStuffWorks); Caracal, facts and photos (National Geographic)

What does 'caracal' mean?

It comes from the Turkish 'karakulak'.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Black ears) · Caracal: A Jumper Extraordinaire With Satellite Dish Ears (HowStuffWorks); Caracal, facts and photos (National Geographic)

About how far can a cat rotate its outer ear?

Cats can turn each pinna about 180°.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (180 degrees) · Your Cat's Sense of Hearing (Catwatch, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine)

What's the most widely accepted use of a caracal's ear tufts?

Caracals are thought to twitch them as signals.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit F (What the tufts do) · Caracal (Chattanooga Zoo); Caracal, facts and photos (National Geographic); Caracal: A Jumper Extraordinaire With Satellite Dish Ears (HowStuffWorks)

Can cats hear sounds above the human hearing range?

Many studies put cats' upper limit near 60 kHz.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Beyond human hearing) · Kruger, Ultrasonic Hearing in Cats and Other Terrestrial Mammals (Acoustics Today, 2021)

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. About how many muscles move each caracal ear?

    1. 2
    2. 6
    3. About 20
    4. Over 100
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. About 20 That's about 20 muscles in three groups. Humans have six. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Twenty muscles) · Caracal (Chattanooga Zoo); Caracal: A Jumper Extraordinaire With Satellite Dish Ears (HowStuffWorks); Caracal, facts and photos (National Geographic)

  2. What does 'caracal' mean?

    1. Desert runner
    2. Black ears
    3. Bird catcher
    4. Red cat
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Black ears It comes from the Turkish 'karakulak'. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Black ears) · Caracal: A Jumper Extraordinaire With Satellite Dish Ears (HowStuffWorks); Caracal, facts and photos (National Geographic)

  3. About how far can a cat rotate its outer ear?

    1. 30°
    2. 90°
    3. About 180°
    4. 360°
    Show the answer

    Answer: C. About 180° Cats can turn each pinna about 180°. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (180 degrees) · Your Cat's Sense of Hearing (Catwatch, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine)

  4. What's the most widely accepted use of a caracal's ear tufts?

    1. Keeping warm
    2. Communicating with other caracals
    3. Storing fat
    4. Scaring prey
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Communicating with other caracals Caracals are thought to twitch them as signals. Source: Write-up · Exhibit F (What the tufts do) · Caracal (Chattanooga Zoo); Caracal, facts and photos (National Geographic); Caracal: A Jumper Extraordinaire With Satellite Dish Ears (HowStuffWorks)

  5. Can cats hear sounds above the human hearing range?

    1. No
    2. Yes, well into ultrasonic frequencies
    3. Only at night
    4. Only kittens
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. Yes, well into ultrasonic frequencies Many studies put cats' upper limit near 60 kHz. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Beyond human hearing) · Kruger, Ultrasonic Hearing in Cats and Other Terrestrial Mammals (Acoustics Today, 2021)

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Caracal's Ear." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-041, last updated Mar 8, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-caracals-ear/

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