Research overview: public engagement and coexistence messaging for urban caracals

The caracal has become a charismatic emblem for urban-wildlife coexistence in Cape Town, and outreach is a deliberate component of its conservation. This overview synthesises work on how citizen-science sighting reporting, social media, school programs and rodenticide-awareness campaigns shape public attitudes and behaviour toward the city last wild cat. It examines how engagement translates scientific findings on poisoning, roadkill and habitat into actions residents can take, and how a flagship felid mobilises broader support for urban biodiversity. The synthesis frames public engagement as an integral, evidence-informed strand of conserving caracals at the edge of a growing African city.