JAIPUR: Photographic proof of two enigmatic caracals, poised to develop into India’s second wild cat species liable to extinction after the cheetah, was recorded within the newly notified Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Bundi district. The presence of those medium-sized wild cats was captured by digicam traps on Dec 19 in Ramgarh Valley and Dec 25 in Mehrupura Hills.
Sanjeev Sharma, divisional forest officer (DFO), mentioned, “There had been no data of caracals on this area over the previous twenty years. The presence of those two uncommon cats, listed as a threatened species on the IUCN Red List, is a promising signal for conservation efforts.”
Rajasthan can take pleasure in harbouring these critically endangered cats in its forests, which face extreme threats as a consequence of habitat loss throughout a number of states. Before 1947, caracals had been reported throughout 7,93,927 sq km of India.
However, their vary declined by 47.99% between 1948 and 2000 and by a staggering 95.95% between 2001 and 2020, shrinking to a mere 16,709 sq km—lower than 5% of their 1948-2000 vary and simply 2.17% of their pre-1947 vary.
A forest official mentioned, “A current report revealed within the worldwide Journal of Threatened Taxa highlighted 24 caracal sightings (protected beneath Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act) in Rajasthan since 2001, the best within the nation. However, the present inhabitants within the state couldn’t be decided.”
These elusive wild cats are predominantly present in dry deciduous forests with water our bodies and severely eroded riverbanks adjoining to ravine habitats. They additionally inhabit dry, arid areas and moist woodlands.
In Rajasthan, other than Ranthambore and its contiguous areas, together with Dholpur, caracals have been noticed in Udaipur and the remoted Chittorgarh-Pratapgarh area. “The caracal is native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India, and is listed as a threatened species on the IUCN Red List,” a forest official mentioned.
Identified by their distinctive tufts of hair on the suggestions of their ears, caracals are nocturnal, agile, elusive, and adept hunters. They prey on rodents and sport birds with exceptional pace and dexterity. “A caracal can leap three metres in a single sure and has paws resembling these of a cheetah. They are simply recognised by their lengthy, pointed ears ending in tufts,” the official added.
Rare caracals seen at Rajasthan’s Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve | Jaipur News – Times of India
