Conservation experts are grappling with the enigmatic decline of the caracal population in India, a species once widespread across Central India and the Indo-Gangetic plains. Despite efforts to understand the root cause of this decline, uncertainty shrouds the fate of this elusive wild cat.

According to a 2015 study, only small pockets of caracal populations remain, with approximately 28 individuals sighted in the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and an estimated 20 in Kutch, Gujarat. These dwindling numbers paint a grim picture for the future of the species, which has not been spotted in its historical habitats for the past four decades.

While the caracal is classified as “least concern” on the global IUCN Red List, it has been deemed “near threatened” in India, prompting heightened conservation efforts. Listed under the Schedule-I category of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the species enjoys the highest level of legal protection in the country.

In 2022, a collaborative study conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India, the Indian Space Research Organisation, and other stakeholders identified potential habitats for caracals in nine states across India. These findings underscored the urgency of conservation efforts, highlighting areas such as Kutch, the Aravalli mountains, the Malwa plateau, and the Bundelkhand region as crucial for the survival of the species.

Responding to the crisis, the National Board for Wildlife and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change announced a Species Recovery Plan in 2021, targeting the revival of 22 endangered species, including the caracal. Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve has taken a lead role in conservation efforts, focusing on habitat management and fostering partnerships with the private sector.

Despite these initiatives, raising awareness about the plight of the caracal remains paramount. With few sightings of the species, public knowledge about caracals and the threats they face is limited. The species’ habitat, predominantly scrubland and ravine habitats, requires urgent protection, with land policies such as categorizing these areas as “wasteland” posing significant risks to their survival.