Rare cat sighted in Capital for the first time since 1984
ABU DHABI — Rare cats, specifically the Arabian Caracal, have been sighted in Abu Dhabi for the first time in 35 years.
The Environment Agency–Abu Dhabi (EAD) said it recorded the sighting of the Arabian Caracal (Caracal caracal schmitzi) at the Jebel Hafeet National Park in Al Ain earlier this month.
The medium-sized, sandcoloured cat with characteristically elongated, tufted black ears was last seen in Abu Dhabi in 1984.
Footage of the Caracal, called Al Washaq in Arabic, was captured by a remote camera from a network of over 45 cameras operated by the EAD as part of its long-term monitoring programme of important and threatened species in protected areas across Abu Dhabi.
While the Caracal is considered nocturnal in nature, the EAD was able to obtain both day-time and night-time photographs of a male Caracal. The species is known to hunt birds, rodents and small mammals under the sun during colder seasons and may survive without drinking for long periods. “The conservation of Abu Dhabi’s local biodiversity and protected areas has always been a key priority for the EAD,” said Dr Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, acting secretary-general of the EAD.
“The rediscovery of the Arabian Caracal in Abu Dhabi highlights not only the importance of the preservation of vital habitats in the emirate, but also sheds light on the advanced research tools and methods we apply to learn more about our environment and all that it encompasses. The agency will continue its efforts in maintaining and monitoring local wildlife and natural ecosystems that will help preserve the environment for future generations,” she added.
While the Caracal is widely distributed throughout the region — typically in mountainous areas — individuals present on the Arabian Peninsula are becoming increasingly rare due to illegal hunting and habitat destruction. Given the lack of any recent record, it was considered ‘extinct in the wild’. As a followup, the EAD will intensify its monitoring to determine the population size of the Caracal in the area.
The only mountain in Abu Dhabi, Jebel Hafeet is home to diverse local flora and fauna due to its high elevation. It was declared a national park in 2017 and was also incorporated as part of the Sheikh Zayed Network of Protected Areas in 2018. The EAD’s work in the management and conservation of protected areas such as Jebel Hafeet supports the agency in improving the status of rare species found on the mountain.