Wildlife specialists were stunned after capturing footage of a “rare and critically endangered” creature seldom seen, thanks to a camera positioned along a nature trail. The discovery has generated considerable enthusiasm among conservationists, while reinforcing calls for ongoing protection of natural habitats.
The footage was published by Emirates Nature – World Wide Fund, a non-profit organisation described as the United Arab Emirates’ “first environmental federal charity established to conserve the nation’s natural heritage”. The UAE boasts an impressive diversity of wildlife, including indigenous species such as sand gazelles, Arabian red foxes, Arabian oryx, striped hyenas and numerous others.
The region is equally renowned for its variety of desert reptiles, alongside marine creatures including sea turtles and dugongs; a docile mammal commonly referred to as a “sea cow”. However, it was a mysterious wild feline that sparked particular interest following its detection by the organisation.
The Arabian Caracal is a medium-sized feline characterised by its striking elongated, tufted ears and compact facial features. Its natural habitats span Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and certain dry regions of Pakistan and north-western India.
This nocturnal and territorial creature is notoriously challenging to spot owing to its elusive behaviour. Caracals typically exist either in pairs or in solitude.
As a carnivorous mammal, its diet consists primarily of small mammals, birds and rodents, and it boasts remarkable hunting prowess – it can leap more than three metres into the air allowing it to snatch birds during flight. The creature typically stalks its prey, then closes the distance and launches into a quick pursuit before catching it and delivering a fatal strike.
Emirates Nature – World Wide Fund recently unveiled footage of the animal carefully navigating a rocky terrain, captured by one of the organisation’s strategically positioned cameras.
In the caption accompanying the video, the charity revealed further details about the rare creature: “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 went on to explain: “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.”
Social media users were quick to express their enthusiasm in response to the sighting. One commenter said: “Love to see it!”
Another expressed appreciation for the work involved: “Great documentation! Thank you for the efforts”.
A third shared their optimism: “Good news. I hope they can survive forever with the government help”.
Another said: “Beautiful cat. Great job obtaining these videos/photos”.
And another added: “What a beautiful animal!”