Caracal (Caracal caracal)

Caracal

Field note:
The Caracal disappeared from Lebanon decades ago. Historical reports show its presence in open plains, dry valleys, and semi-arid terrain. No confirmed modern record exists. Its absence reflects long periods of habitat loss and hunting pressure that removed the species from the country.

Conservation status and assessment year:
The Caracal holds a global status of Least Concern (LC) under the 2020 assessment. In Lebanon it is locally extinct because no verified observation exists in recent decades.

Habitat and distribution:
The Caracal lives in savannas, open plains, dry valleys, and semi-arid regions across Africa, the Middle East, Iran, and parts of Central Asia. Its range shrinks in the Levant as natural vegetation declines and human activity expands.

Diet:
The Caracal eats small mammals, birds, and reptiles, and it relies on fast and precise hunting in open ground.

Ecological role:
The species regulates small mammal numbers, maintains balance among ground-dwelling birds and reptiles, and supports stable food-web interactions in natural habitats.

Threats:
The Caracal faces habitat loss, hunting, and severe habitat fragmentation that breaks the continuity of suitable terrain. The collapse of natural vegetation and the lack of protected landscapes in Lebanon prevent any natural return of this species.