The caracal /ˈkærəkæl/, Caracal caracal, is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat ranging over Western Asia, South Asia and Africa. The word caracal comes from the Turkish word "karakulak", meaning "black ear". In North India and Pakistan, the caracal is locally known as syahgosh (स्याहगोष/سیاه گوش) which is a Persian term meaning black ears. In Afrikaans it is called Rooikat, "red cat".