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Very little is known about viruses associated the caracal (Caracal caracal), a medium sized cat with long legs, a short tail and characteristic sharply pointed ear with long hair tufts on the ear tips. In the South Africa, the caracal is commonly referred to as a 'rooikat'. Caracals are threatened by severe habitat loss due to urbanization as well as changes in land use. Associate Professor Arvind Varsani and Dr Simona Kraberger at ASU Biodesign in collaboration with Dr Laurel Serieys (Urban Caracal project, South Africa) and Jacqueline Bishop (University of Cape Town, South Africa) are researching whether infection by microbial pathogens, primarily viruses, is contribution to the increased mortality of caracals in the Western Cape region of South Africa. When you give to ASU Biodesign Caracal Project you are enabling scientists to research viral diseases in South African caracals with an aim to implement better informed animal conservation measures.