The animal is rarely ever seen due to being nocturnal and having a secretive nature but wildlife experts set up a camera on a nature trail and got a shock after finally catching sight of it
Wildlife experts got a shock after spotting a “rare and critically endangered” animal seldom seen after setting up a camera on a nature trail. The sighting has prompted excitement among animal lovers, as well as a push for the continued protection of wild spaces.
Footage of the rare animal in question was shared by non-profit organisation Emirates Nature – World Wide Fund, the United Arab Emirates’ “first environmental federal charity established to conserve the nation’s natural heritage”. The country is home to a vast array of wildlife, as well as native species including sand gazelles, Arabian red foxes, Arabian oryx, striped hyenas and more.
It’s also known for its various desert reptiles, as well as marine life like sea turtles and dugongs; a gentle mammal which is also known as a “sea cow”. But it was an elusive wild cat that caused a stir after being spotted by the organisation.
The Arabian Caracal is a medium-sized cat with distinctive long, tufted ears and a short face. It’s native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, as well as some particularly dry parts of Pakistan and north-western India.
It’s nocturnal and territorial, and is known for being very difficult to observe due to its secretive nature. Caracals usually live in pairs or alone.
As a carnivorous mammal, it usually preys on small mammals, birds and rodents and is adept at catching its prey as it can leap higher than three metres in the air, often catching birds mid-flight.
It will usually stalk its prey until it becomes relatively close before chasing it down and killing it.
Recently, Emirates Nature – World Wide Fund shared footage of the animal delicately exploring a rocky area, near where the organisation had set up a camera.
In the caption, the charity shared its excitement as well as deeper insight into the characteristics of this rarely seen animal: “Guess who showed up on camera?
“Those black ear tufts belong to the Arabian Caracal – a rare and critically endangered wild cat in the UAE. It was recently rediscovered in Wadi Wurayah National Park, the UAE’s first mountain protected area, managed by [Fujairah Environment Authority]!”
The organisation continued: “This rediscovery reminds us why protecting wild places is so important. Caracals are apex predators, which means they help keep mountain ecosystems in balance.
“The wild thing? They’re so elusive and mostly nocturnal, they’ve only been recorded a handful of times in recent decades.
“Huge thanks to our Leaders of Change volunteers who helped install and monitor motion-sensor cameras, and to our partners – Fujairah Environment Authority and Mashreq for supporting #NoticeNature, the UAE’s wildlife mapping initiative that made this discovery possible.”
In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “Love to see it!”
Another shared their gratitude: “Great documentation! Thank you for the efforts”.
A third said: “Good news. I hope they can survive forever with the government help”.
Another commented: “Beautiful cat. Great job obtaining these videos/photos”
And someone else added: “What a beautiful animal!”
