Bhopal: Quest For Caracal In Chambal, Wildlife Wing Sends Proposal

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The wildlife wing of forest department has submitted a proposal to Chief Wildlife Warden to launch search for caracal in the ravines of Chambal region.

Caracal, a medium-sized wild cat, feeds on birds and is best known for catching the low flying birds by jumping up to 10 to 12 feet in air.

“The proposal suggests that camera traps should be installed in certain areas of Chambal ravines where chances of capturing caracal is high,” a wildlife wing senior official told Free Press.

When contacted, Morena District Forest Officer Mohammad Maaz said locals had spotted caracal in ravines of Bari two-and-a-half years back. However, local forest officials have not seen it in recent past.

Morena DFO Swaroop Dixit said a proposal was in pipeline to install camera trap for sighting of caracal. However, he is unaware of sighting of caracal in his area, he said.

Bhind’s wildlife photographer Manoj Jain told Free Press that he entered Chambal revines to capture movements of wild animals.

While passing through a mustard field in Sankari village on February 16, 2022, he saw a caracal peeping from the crops. “It was certainly a caracal as it had straight, pointed ears with long hair on top,” Jain said.

When he inquired about it from local residents, they said they too spotted caracals but not very often. A caracal was also sighted in Bijpuri. “But now the ravines in Bijpuri have been flattened for farming,” he added. He said camera trap could held to find caracals.

Senior forest official JS Chouhan had once sighted caracal in ravines of Bhind. Chambal ravines are a suitable habitat for caracal. If a conservation plan is enforced, caracal population can increase.

Published on: Wednesday, August 30, 2023, 11:37 PM IST