JAISALMER: Rajasthan Forest and Environment Minister has said that the Forest Department will soon launch a special campaign for the conservation and protection of the endangered and Schedule-I wild animal Caracal. At present, efforts are being made to ensure the safety and monitoring of a Caracal found in Jaisalmer through a radio collar ID tracking system.The minister made these remarks while interacting with journalists during his visit to the breeding centre at Ramdevra in Jaisalmer.Sanjay Sharma said that the Caracal is on the verge of extinction on earth and only a few sightings have been reported in Rajasthan, including one in Jaisalmer and another in Kota. “We have fitted a collar ID on the Caracal found in Jaisalmer and are continuously monitoring its movement, behaviour and activities. Its movement has been observed in the border areas of Jaisalmer, and we are maintaining constant vigilance to ensure its protection and safety,” he said.He added that once the species is fully secured and protected, the Forest Department will launch a dedicated conservation campaign focused on the Caracal. Referring to the Caracal reportedly sighted in Kota, the minister said no fresh information has emerged after the initial sighting.Meanwhile, considering the possible presence of more Caracals in the border areas of Jaisalmer, the Forest Department has started using motion-sensing camera traps to track their activities. Currently, a limited number of camera traps have been installed, and these have confirmed the movement of two additional Caracals — one male and one female.With this, the confirmed number of Caracals recorded in the Shahgarh region has risen to three. However, officials also confirmed that one Caracal had earlier been brutally killed and burnt alive by villagers in an attempt to destroy evidence after hunting it.Jodhpur CCF said that the Forest Department is closely monitoring the movement of Caracals through sensing camera traps. In addition, a team from the is conducting studies in the Thar Desert on Caracal behaviour, movement patterns and habitat use.He stated that so far, three Caracal movements have been successfully captured in camera traps. Motion-sensing cameras have been installed in the Ghotaru region of the Thar Desert in Jaisalmer district, where the presence of Caracals has been observed.According to officials, extensive surveys across the Caracal’s habitat range, particularly in the Thar Desert, will require a much larger network of camera traps. A comprehensive conservation and monitoring plan will be prepared and implemented after the completion of the current study.Officials also confirmed that the movements and behaviour patterns of the radio-collared Caracal are being continuously monitored and recorded to better understand the species and strengthen future conservation efforts.
