RapidResponseConservationPlanfortheArabianCaracalintheShoufBiosphereReserve

TheprojectistosetuparapidresponseconservationplanfortheArabianCaracalintheShoufBiosphereReserve(SBR)to:

1. gatherinformationonthestatusofthepopulation;2. undertakethepreliminarystepstowardsafullconservationstrategy3. involveconcernedstakeholders.

In2015,aspecimenofArabianCaracal(Caracalcaracalschmitzi)wasincidentallycapturedintheSBR.ThespecieswasbelievedtobeextinctsincealongtimenotonlyintheReserve,butinthewholeofLebanon.FurtherfieldinvestigationsfromconservationscientistshaveconfirmedtheexistenceofapopulationofthisrarewildcatwithintheboundariesofSBR.Thisgrantwasgiventoenabletoimplementarapidresponseconservationprogramand:

1. setupaCaracalWorkingGroupincludingnationalandinternationalexperts,andlocalstakeholders,2. buyequipmenttoacquirecritical,minimuminformationonthesize,distribution,andbehavioural

patternsofthecaracalintheReserve;3. putinplacethefirstemergencymeasurestoguaranteetheconservationofthespecies;4. buildthecapacityofSBRstaffandvolunteerstoimplementthemeasures,5. spreadawarenessandeducatelocalstakeholdersonthepresenceandvalueofthiswildcat.

Theprojectrunsfor12months,startinginApril2016.MoreabouttheArabianCaracal:

TheArabianCaracalisoneofthesevensubspeciesofCaracal,amedium-sizedwildcatcloselyrelatedtotheServalandAfricanGoldenCat.Previously ithadbeenplaced intheFelisandLynxgenera,butmolecularevidencehasplaceditinitsowngenus.TheArabianCaracalisthesmallestsubspeciesofCaracal.ItstawnybrownfurwithawhiteundersideislighterincolorationthantheAfricansubspecies.Ithasaslenderbody,withlonglegs.Itsconspicuousfeaturesareitstriangularears,whichhave4-5cmlongblackhairtufts.Itstailisshortrelativetoitsbodysizeandisaboutathirdofitsheadandbodylength.Ithashairsbetweenitspads,toprotect themwhen travelingoverhot rocksor sand.Thesubspeciesexhibits sexualdimorphismwithmalesbeinglargerthanfemales.TheArabianCaracalusedtobewidespreadintheMiddleEastaswellascentralandSouth-westAsia,fromIndiaandPakistantoEgypt,throughtheArabianpeninsula.

Thecaracal is listedasaspeciesofLeastConcernby IUCN,as it iswidespreadandrelativelycommoninsouthernandeasternAfrica.

However,therehavebeenrangelossesinnorthernAfrica,andthespeciesisofconservationconcerninmostofitsAsianrange.Habitat destruction, particularly the degradation of natural habitats (forests,shrublands and steppes) and their conversion into agricultural land, togetherwithdesertification,isthemostsignificantthreattothesurvivalofthecaracalintheMiddleEast.Anotherimportantthreatisdirectpersecution,ascaracalscantake smalldomestic livestock,andare thereforedislikedby farmersand ruralcommunities.InLebanon,thecaracalwasconsideredextinctsince1995.However,aspecimenof caracal was incidentally trapped in Kherbet Kanafar – eastern side of theReservespring2015.

UPDATEMarch2017:MethodsUsed

Aquestionnaireinterviewwasadministeredin14villagessurroundingthevillagessurroundingthereserve:Beqa’aandEl–Shouf.16cameratrapswereusedcameratrapswereusedbetweenJuneandNovember2016Results

118respondentsfrom14villages

• 91%didnotknowthecaracal• 68%considerwildanimalsdangerous• 37.3%wereinfavorofkillingthem

NoCaracalwasfoundforthemoment,but:

• 2880cameratrapdays• 18,849Photograph• Ninespeciesofwildanimalswerecaptured

Futureplans

Intensivemonitoringextendingoutsidethereserve,andsupportoflocalpeopleduetoanawarenessprogramisplanned.IfCaracalisfound,trappingisthepriority.Then,therewillbeacampaignofradiocollaringandmonitoring.

AllinformationisgivenbySBRforMEDFORVAL.

Picture1CaracaltrappedintheSBR