When Aasha gave birth to three cubs in one of the enclosures of Kuno national park - there was good news and bad news. The good news is that this is the second litter of cheetah on Indian soil after Siyaya, another Namibia cheetah, gave birth to four cubs in March 2023 and that the animal seems to have acclimatized further in India conditions. Birth in captivity will also enhance their chances of survival. The three newborns from Aasha have also increased the number of cheetahs in India. The bad news is that like Siyaya's cubs, they too are born within the confines of a boma and would not get the environmental conditions required to survive in the wild. They would also be reared up by Aasha in the enclosure -safe from predators like leopards. But what does this mean? Kuno Awaits Cheetah Birth in Open Forest Cheetahs were translocated to India with a purpose. The Cheetah action plan envisages saving, conserving and developing India's grasslands .The reason for choosing cheet
Madhya Pradesh is searching for carcal, a cat fastheading towards extinction in India. Known for its elusive nature, caracal is foundmostly in Rajasthan, Kutch in Gujarat and perhaps, parts of Madhya Pradesh around Chambal ravines. Though nocaracal has been sighted for long in MP, efforts are on to spot them in and around Kuno Palpur National Park in Sheopur district bordering Rajasthan.
CameraTraps in Kuno
The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and thestate forest department are trying to locate caracal by placing cameratraps in the jungle. Few years ago, there were reports in Hindi media in Sheopur about sightings of caracal but it couldnot be confirmed. However, theneighbouring Ranthambhore national park is home to some of these fascinatingcats. The park is located in Sawaimadhopur district .Besides, the cat isbelieved to be spread in Karoli and Dholpur districts of Rajasthan also. In October this yearphotographic evidence of the endangered cat was reported from Kumbhalgarhwildlife sanctuary in Rajasthan. Divisional Forest officer Fateh Singh Rathore was quoted by media saying, “This is approximately after threedecades that a caracal has been spotted in the sanctuary. Last year, the forest staff claimed they had spotted one. However, there was no concrete evidence.Today, the caracal was captured by the camera. It’s a good sign as it indicatesthe sanctuary has appropriate grassland.”
Though a report published in the ‘Journal of Threatened Taxa’, an international publication, did not mention the current population in Rajasthan, it is said that there has been a total of 24 caracal sighting reports since 2001, claimed to be highest in the country. As many as 17 of them were backed by photographic evidence also . Of which, 15 were from Ranthambore,along with a photograph taken from Sariska in 2004 and a camera trap picturefrom the Keoladeo national park in Bharatpur in 2017.
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Earlier , the cat was found in arid and semi-arid scrub forest and ravines in Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. But now its presence is restricted only to Rajasthan and Kutch. Since 2001, there have been only nine photographic caracal records from Kutch but there were no photographic records from Madhya Pradesh. However, its close proximity to Ranthambhaore has created hopes among the foresters of its possible presence in Kuno.
Also read: Fate of Lion project unknown midst Cheetah translocation in Kuno
The animal is believed to be heading towards local extinction and if it happens ,it would be the second cat after cheetah which was officially declared extinct fromIndia in 1952. Incidentally, Kuno is being readied for reintroduction of cheetahs. Though originally the plan was to make it the second home of Asiatic lions, Gujarat refused to part a pair of lions from Gir nationalpark.
Express Chambal Way May further Threaten Caracal
In February this year, the National Board forWildlife and the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change included thismedium-sized wildcat in the list of critically endangered species. Though notunder grave threat in its other habitats abroad, especially in Africa wherecaracal is found in large numbers, theanimal is on the verge of extinction in India, some experts believe. The caracal is found in a number of countries across Africa, the Middle East, Centraland South Asia. Its listing as a critically endangered cat in India is expected to bring central funding toconservation efforts. It may also ensure that the animal is studied comprehensively for the first time, including its home, range, population and prey among others.
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The caracal is rarely hunted or killed — in recent years, cases have been detected of the animal being captured to be sold asexotic pets — and the decline of its population is attributed mainly to loss ofhabitat and increasing urbanisation. Experts point out that the caracal’snatural habitat — for example the Chambal ravines — is often officially notified as wasteland. Land and environment policies are not geared towards the preservation of such wasteland ecology; rather they seek to ‘reclaim’ these areas to make them arable. Infrastructure projects such as the building ofroads lead to the fragmentation of the caracal’s ecology and disruption of itsmovement. Many experts believe that a major road project Chambal express way under construction in the ravines may further cause irreparable loss to its habitat. Theloss of habitat also affects the animal’s prey which includes small ungulatesand rodents.
Also read: Cheetahs' Flight to India Delayed
Sources in the National Board for Wildlife said,“Including the species in the recovery programme will mean the species willhave a separate conservation programme. The ministry may first try to have apopulation estimation and then carry out a study on their habitat. Once thesefindings are available, a habitat improvement and breeding programme may betaken up. If required, a captive breeding programme may also be undertaken, governmentsources said.
Mid -air Gallop to Catch a Hunt
This wild cat has a short face but long canine teeth. It also has long legs, and distinctive ears — long and pointy, withtufts of black hair at their tips giving its Indian name as Siyagosh ( blackear) . "The caracal has traditionallybeen valued for its agility and extraordinary ability to catch birds inflight; it was a favourite coursing or hunting animal in medieval India. Twilightis caracal’s morning when the agile animal is hyperactive. It stalks through grasslands and gallops over 10 feet to catch a bird in the air . And its mid-air maneuvering is attributed to its impeccable control overits muscles. So in one go, it gallops,catches a bird in the air, twists its body in two opposite directions to strikea balance for a perfect and smooth landing back on the ground. Besides, the caracal also feasts onrodents and small ungulates among others. It would be a very bad day in the wildlife history of India if caracal extincts from our jungles.
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