Rajasthan to study caracal's habitat, behaviour under conservation project

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Rajasthan has launched the 'Project Caracal', an initiative to study the ecology, habitat and behaviour of the rare caracal and formulate a long-term conservation strategy for the species in the state.

The 18-month project, launched last month, is being implemented jointly by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Rajasthan Forest Department and Sawai Madhopur-based NGO Tiger Watch.

WII Director Dr Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj said the study would be carried out across four tiger reserves in Rajasthan -- Ranthambore, Dholpur-Karauli, Ramgarh Vishdhari and Mukundra Hills -- as well as adjoining areas such as Bandh Baretha.

"The study will examine the caracal's ecology, feeding habits, habitat use and threats to its survival. Based on the findings, a conservation policy for the species will be prepared," Bhardwaj told PTI.

He said caracal, a rare wild cat species found in India's semi-arid landscapes, is believed to have a population of fewer than 100 individuals in the country. Rajasthan and Gujarat are its principal habitats, but rapid land-use changes and increasing human activities are threatening its survival.

The project, launched sometime back, will also focus on creating awareness among schoolchildren, teachers and local communities through workshops and educational material.

Additional data on the species and its habitat will be collected through camera trapping and field surveys, officials said.

According to the Forest Department, camera traps will be installed across different locations to assess the caracal's presence, movement patterns and habitat preferences. Researchers will also analyse the impact of habitat changes and possible competition with other predators such as leopards and tigers.

Deputy Conservator of Forests-Ranthambore Manas Singh said the project would not only strengthen protection measures for the species but also provide a new impetus to biodiversity conservation in the Ranthambore landscape.

Researcher Dr Dharmendra Khandal, a member of the study team, said the project would help prepare a comprehensive conservation strategy for the species.

Researchers and trained field staff have been deployed for surveys and data analysis, while potential wildlife corridors and habitats will also be mapped.

Khandal said caracals have been sighted over the past two decades mainly in Gujarat's Bhuj region, Bhind-Morena landscape of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan districts of Dholpur, Karauli, Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur.

More recently, sightings were reported from Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve, Mukundra Hills, Sarmathura Dang region of Dholpur-Karauli, Bandh Baretha and Ramgarh in Jaisalmer.

According to the Forest Department, the caracal, listed on the IUCN Red List, is a highly agile nocturnal predator capable of leaping 10-12 feet into the air to catch birds.

The species has disappeared from nearly 95 per cent of its former range in India and is now largely confined to parts of Rajasthan and the Kutch region of Gujarat. PTI SDA APL

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