Once widespread across India’s grasslands, the caracal had nearly vanished from public consciousness. The rediscovery not only reaffirms the caracal’s presence in Thar Desert but also highlights the urgent need to protect its fragile habitat from imminent threats, such as large-scale solar projects
The elusive Asiatic caracal (Caracal caracal schmitzi) spotted in Ramgarh, Jaisalmer. PIC/Sumer Singh Bhati and Pankaj Bishnoi
In a ground-breaking re-discovery, a dedicated grassroots expedition led by Sumer Singh Bhati, a nature enthusiast from Sanwata village in Jaisalmer, along with Pankaj Bishnoi, Bombay Natural History Society’s Community Engagement Officer, has found a population of the elusive Asiatic Caracal (Caracal caracal schmitzi) in Ramgarh, Jaisalmer. The team took its first photo in Jaisalmer district on November 13 during their grassland survey. The expedition estimates that at least 10 pairs of caracals inhabit the area.
BNHS Director Kishor Rithe confirmed the news and termed it “a good discovery as this is the largest population sighted in the recent past in India”.
“Over the past couple of years, stories of caracal sightings have begun to surface from Bhuj, Gujarat; Ranthambore Tiger Reserve; a site near Barmer; and the Ramgarh-Vishdhari Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. However, this seems to be the most potential habitat”, he stated further.
Once widespread across India’s grasslands, the caracal had nearly vanished from public consciousness.
“This remarkable find is the result of months of diligent fieldwork, ancestral knowledge, and strong community engagement, where herders, local youth, and conservationists walked the dunes, tracked pugmarks, and revived hope for conservation”, said BNHS Deputy Director Dr Sujit Narwade, who has spearheaded the grassland bird conservation programme of BNHS.
The rediscovery not only reaffirms the caracal’s presence in Thar Desert but also highlights the urgent need to protect its fragile habitat from imminent threats, such as large-scale solar projects. More than just a scientific achievement, this discovery demonstrates the power of trust, tradition, and collective stewardship in preserving India’s disappearing wilderness.
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