Rodney Doritz, age 14, of Darlington, S.C., for his question:

WHAT IS A CARACAL?

A caracal, who is a member of the cat family, is one of the best looking animals you'll ever see. He's sometimes called a Persian lynx and is related to the lynxes.

You'll find friend caracal in some North American zoos but to see him on his native soil, you will have to travel to India or Africa.

A caracal has tufts of long hair located on the tips of his ears, much like a lynx. The lynx's tufts are brown, however, while the caracal's are black. His fur is soft and reddish brown or fawn colored. He eats meat and hunts other animals.

The caracal's fur isn't used for women's coats, and he shouldn't be confused with the word caracul, the loosely curled fur of the karakul, a breed of Asiatic sheep.