A caracal captured on a digicam lure renews conservation efforts

On March 14, 2025, a shocking sight was captured within the coronary heart of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Kota, Rajasthan. A uncommon and elusive member of the cat household — the caracal — was recorded by a digicam lure for the primary time within the area.

Rajasthan’s Forest Minister, Sanjay Sharma, shared {a photograph} of the caracal on social media and mentioned, “On this vibrant day of Holi, the Rajasthan Forest Division is worked up to share the primary photographic document of the caracal in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve. The winter Part IV survey of the tiger reserve recorded this digicam lure picture of the caracal. The sturdy safety regime of Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve serves as an umbrella to guard elusive small cats just like the caracal.”

The uncommon sighting has renewed curiosity within the conservation of the caracal. “All tiger reserves conduct three-spot surveys. The primary is an indication survey, second is a transect line survey and the third is digicam trapping. This winter was the primary time {that a} Part IV survey was carried out within the season, and this caracal was recorded,” mentioned Muthu Somasundaram, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) of Mukundra Nationwide Park.

Somasundaram notes that the caracal is likely to be dispersing from its nearest identified vary, which incorporates Ranthambore, Kailadevi, and Dholpur. “The species sometimes has a big residence vary, so it’s doable this particular person moved in from Bundi or Kota. Curiously, the digicam lure picture additionally features a hare,” he added.

The forest division now plans to extend the variety of digicam traps within the location the caracal was noticed and within the surrounding areas, to raised perceive its presence and vary. “Caracals are nocturnal animals, which makes them even tougher to check. All the pictures we’ve captured thus far have been throughout evening time. The aim is to maximise the possibilities of capturing extra photos and studying about its actions,” Somasundaram informed Mongabay India.

The place the caracal roams

The caracal has a deep-rooted historic presence in India. In 1616, Mughal emperor Jahangir reportedly hunted one close to Ajmer. Alongside cheetahs, caracals have been praised by royals for his or her agility and utilized in hunts, identified by their Persian title siyah gosh (black-eared one).

At this time, there isn’t any official estimate of India’s caracal inhabitants; media stories suggesting round 50 people, are unsubstantiated. In keeping with Dharmendra Khandal, co-author of the ebook Caracal: An Intimate Historical past of a Mysterious Cat and Government Director of Tiger Watch, caracals as soon as ranged throughout 13 states however at the moment are confined to Gujarat, Rajasthan, and elements of Madhya Pradesh. A study by Khandal and others documented 134 caracal information from 1616 to 2020. The species’ vary has shrunk drastically from 794,000 sq. kilometres pre-1947 to simply 16,709 sq. kilometres in 2020 — a 95.95% decline.

Globally listed as least concern by the IUCN, the caracal is taken into account close to threatened in India and guarded underneath Schedule I of the Wildlife Safety Act, 1972. This makes the first-ever camera-trap seize in Mukundra Tiger Reserve, all of the extra vital.

Khandal famous that that is the primary A-category (photographic) document of a caracal from Mukundra in 20 years, regardless of digicam trapping since 2012. The final identified document from Mukundra dates to 1962. Till not too long ago, such information have been restricted to Gujarat and some districts in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. With current confirmations from Bundi and now Kota, Rajasthan now has photographic proof from six districts — an encouraging signal for caracal conservation. An earlier study by Khandal and his staff, recorded 176 caracal photos from 23 websites in Rajasthan between 2015 and 2020.

Muthu Somasundaram identified that the semi-arid ecosystems of central Rajasthan and Gujarat go well with the caracal’s habitat wants. “Common digicam trapping in protected areas like tiger reserves boosts the possibilities of detecting elusive species just like the caracal, which could in any other case go unnoticed,” he mentioned.

Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj, Further Director Basic of Forests (Challenge Tiger) and Member Secretary of the Nationwide Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), informed Mongabay India, “The caracal’s panorama lies within the Chambal area. I personally noticed them two to 3 instances in Ranthambore a few years in the past. Now that we have now photographic information from Mukundra and Ramgarh Vishdhari, there’s a want for a complete examine on the species to raised perceive its inhabitants, behaviour, and habitat.”

As a member of the cat household, the caracal’s presence is an indicator of a balanced and wholesome ecosystem. These cats assist regulate the populations of rodents and different small mammals, taking part in an important position in sustaining ecological stability.

Exterior protected areas

Khandal additionally famous an necessary sample — all caracal sightings in Rajasthan have occurred inside tiger reserves. “This means that these well-managed habitats provide safer situations. Although Sariska hasn’t had confirmed information since 2012, I consider caracals should exist there,” he mentioned.

Nonetheless, some recommend that potential habitats exterior these protected areas also needs to be studied for his or her presence. Wildlife biologist Sumit Dookia identified {that a} 1999 document of Jalore district printed by the Bombay Natural History Society, hints on the caracal’s presence past reserves — indicating a must revisit historic knowledge to evaluate its wider distribution.

Dookia mentioned that whereas there’s no scientific proof of caracals in western Rajasthan exterior reserves, locals sometimes report sightings. A current video from Pakistan’s Cholistan Desert — ecologically just like western Rajasthan or Thar desert — suggests appropriate habitat exists. “I consider the Mukundra sighting hints at a probably wider presence and quick government-led conservation efforts is necessary for the species,” Dookia added.

The necessity for baseline knowledge

In 2021, the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) included the caracal in a plan to preserve 22 precedence species. Nonetheless, Dharmendra Khandal harassed the necessity for thorough scientific research earlier than taking motion. As an alternative, Khandal suggests focussing on extra research to grasp the place caracals reside, their meals habits, habitat preferences, and inhabitants standing. “Strong baseline knowledge is important for crafting efficient conservation methods suited to India’s semi-arid areas,” Khandal mentioned.

Whereas the Mukundra sighting is promising, specialists urge cautious optimism. Pleasure Gardner of the Jaipur-based NGO Hope and Past, cautioned in opposition to calling the current Mukundra caracal recording as a breakthrough, noting that it was an opportunity seize from tiger-focused digicam traps. “No focused efforts have been made to check caracals. We’d like centered surveys in deeper forest zones, the place extra people is likely to be discovered,” he mentioned.

Shekhar Kolipaka, biosocial conservation researcher from Leiden College, echoed  an identical sentiment, warning that caracals are struggling in degraded scrublands and wish pressing, in-depth research to evaluate their standing in fashionable India.

Learn extra: As caracals inch in the direction of extinction, path to conserving the wild cat stays unclear

Banner picture: A digicam lure picture of the elusive caracal recorded for the primary time in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, Kota, Rajasthan, on March 14, 2025. Picture by the Deputy Conservator of Forests, Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve.