Jaipur, Apr 15 (PTI) The Rajasthan forest department on Wednesday launched ‘Project Caracal’ at the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve for conservation of the elusive wild cat species.
The initiative was announced during a ‘Caracal Conservation Workshop’ organised by the state forest department, attended by senior officials, wildlife experts, researchers and representatives of conservation organisations.
The focus of the workshop was on the protection of caracal, a rare and lesser-seen wild cat that was once found across Rajasthan’s arid and semi-arid regions, but witnessed a sharp decline in population due to habitat loss, fragmentation and reduced prey base.
Participants reviewed the current status, distribution and available data on the species, and discussed its habitat, ecology and population trends.
Under ‘Project Caracal’, emphasis will be laid on assessing its population in the state, identifying critical habitats, strengthening monitoring and research, and increasing community participation in conservation efforts, according to an official.
Experts also deliberated on challenges and strategies for conservation in areas such as Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve and Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve.
The forest department expressed hope that the initiative will strengthen long-term conservation of the species in Rajasthan and give fresh impetus to biodiversity protection in the state.
Experts from institutions including Wildlife Institute of India participated in the workshop and shared their inputs on the conservation roadmap. PTI SDA ARB ARB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.