A camera trap captures a caracal in the Aralkum National Nature Park
2026-08-27 14:50:00 / News
The caracal is a rare subspecies with a fragmented range that is considered to be at risk of extinction. It is included in the Red Data Book of Uzbekistan and listed in Appendix I of CITES. In Uzbekistan, caracals inhabit the Ustyurt Plateau and the lower reaches of the Amu Darya River. Outside the country, they are found in Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, northern Iran and Afghanistan. Their habitats include dune and stabilized sandy areas of deserts, gypsum-rich plains and occasionally, desertified foothills and tugai vegetation.
Caracals are predominantly nocturnal, although they may also hunt during the daytime in other seasons. Their diet consists mainly of hares and rodents and may also include ungulates, birds, hedgehogs, foxes, reptiles, snakes and arthropods, as well as carrion on rare occasions. Caracals can live for up to 19 years.
For reference: The Aralkum National Nature Park was established on 4 March 2022 in the Muynak district of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. The park is home to 25 animal species, four of which are listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan.