Inside the race to save the elusive caracal | HT Immersive

CHASING THE CARACAL

The feline family has reasons to cheer: a tiny wild cat discovered in Bolivia marks the first identification and naming of a new living feline species in more than a century. But back home, another little-known cat is quietly disappearing, prompting efforts to understand it better and protect its dwindling numbers. HT takes a closer look at the caracal.

Text by Urja Kalyani
Artwork by Amit Sharma & Hvidrom Bikash
Graphics & web development by Pulaha Roy

WHAT IS PROJECT CARACAL?

The 18-month project—launched in 2026 by the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, the Wildlife Institute of India, the Rajasthan forest department and NGO Watch—will study the caracal’s ecology, feeding habits, habitat and threats. The findings will help prepare a conservation strategy for India’s estimated fewer than 100 caracals.

METHODOLOGY

Camera traps will be set up to log data on the animal's presence, movement and habitat. Researchers will analyse the impact of habitat changes and possible competition with other predators like leopards and tigers. Potential wildlife corridors and habitats will be mapped. Awareness will be created among schoolchildren, teachers and local communities through workshops.

DISTINCT FEATURES

Diet: It preys on birds and mammals such as gazelles, hares and peafowl.

Jump: Capable of leaping 10–12 feet into the air to catch birds.

CARACAL HABITAT

<100

caracals are estimated to remain in India

95%

of its former habitat range in India has been lost; the species is now largely confined to parts of Rajasthan and the Kutch region of Gujarat

The caracal, a highly nocturnal wild cat, is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.

Speaking on Project Caracal, Wildlife Institute of India director Dr Gobind Sagar Bhardwaj told PTI that 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.

Manas Singh, deputy conservator of forests at Ranthambore, told the news agency that the project would not only strengthen protection measures for the species but also provide a fresh impetus to biodiversity conservation across the Ranthambore landscape.

Photo credit for caracal image: Shutterstock
Sources: International Union for Conservation of Nature, Britannica, Press Trust of India, Reuters, Natural Earth