For the first time in 35 years, zoologists have recorded the appearance of Arabian caracal in the UAE.
Dubai, UAE. Abu Dhabi Environmental Protection Agency experts have detected the appearance of an Arabian caracal, or desert lynx, in the UAE. He was trapped in the Jebel Hafeet National Park in Al Ain at night.
According to zoologists, the last appearance of a large cat in the wild of the UAE was recorded in 1984, or 35 years ago. Today, in Abu Dhabi, mainly in nature reserves, there are 45 cameras for observing wildlife.
Despite the fact that in general the region has a rather large population of caracals, it is very rare to meet it on the territory of the Arabian Peninsula. The reason for this was poaching and ecosystem damage. Scientists will intensify monitoring of the territory to reveal how many caracal individuals have reached the UAE.
Caracal externally resembles a lynx, but smaller in size, slimmer and with a uniform color. The length of the body is 65-82 cm, the tail is 25-30 cm, the height at the shoulders is about 45 cm; weight - 11-19 kg. Ears with tassels (up to 5 cm) at the ends. A hard hair brush is developed on the paws, which facilitates movement on the sand. The fur is short and thick. The color resembles a North American puma: sandy or reddish-brown top, whitish bottom; black marks on the sides of the muzzle.
It hunts mainly at night. The main food for him are rodents (gerbils, jerboas, ground squirrels), tolai hares, and partly small antelopes. Sometimes it obtains hedgehogs, porcupines, reptiles, insects, small predatory animals, such as foxes and mongooses, young ostriches. It can abduct poultry, attack lambs and goats. Like a leopard, a caracal drags dead game onto trees to hide it from other predators.
