Conservationists celebrate fresh caracal sightings in Pakistan, where experts warn the rare wild cat teeters on the edge of local extinction. Today, the Indus Fishing Cat Project (IFCP) released footage of an adult male caracal roaming Kirthar National Park’s hilly terrain near Karachi. This nocturnal predator, famous for its tufted ears and agile leaps, preys on birds, rodents, and small mammals in arid landscapes.

Additionally, the video that was captured amid 400 clips over two weeks confirms the species’ persistence despite severe threats like habitat loss from agriculture, human encroachment, and retaliatory killings by locals. Zafeer Ahmad Shaikh, IFCP head, highlights how such evidence proves caracals still inhabit Sindh’s Kirthar Range, Punjab’s Cholistan Desert, and Balochistan’s highlands. However, a tragic counterpoint emerged recently: villagers killed a juvenile caracal in the same park, underscoring urgent risks.

In addition, earlier 2025 captures in Kirthar included a sand cat, presumed extinct locally, alongside caracals, both of which are of least concern globally but critically endangered in Pakistan per IUCN assessments. Additionally, these glimpses boost awareness and funding calls, as small cats receive just 3% of global wildlife support. Shaikh pushes for expanded camera traps, community education, and compensation schemes to curb killings. Ultimately, experts like Jim Sanderson of the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation stress that while sightings affirm presence, sustainable populations remain uncertain, yet they fuel a vital conservation push forward.