Critically endangered wild cat spotted at Wadi Wurayah

What was just a midnight prowl for the magnificent Arabian Caracal, turned into a groundbreaking moment for scientists and conservationists at the Wadi Wurayah National Park.

- Laraib Anwer [e-mail]

An Arabian Caracal captured by motion-sensor cameras during its midnight prowl.

(COURTESY: FUJAIRAH ENVIRONMENT AGENCY)

In a leap for animal protection and conservation in the UAE, the Arabian Caracal - a critically endangered species on the National Red List - was spotted in the country's first mountain protected area, Fujairah Environment Authority confirmed to Khaleej Times on Tuesday, October 7.

Today, fewer than 250 mature individuals are surviving in the wild. Native to the Arabian Peninsula, the striking wild cat, also known as the "barking cat" due to the noise it produces to ward off danger, was captured on motion-sensor cameras through the mapping efforts of "Notice Nature".

After years of no sign of the mammal and no confirmed records in the region, the elusive predator was documented on Jebel Hafeet in 2019, near Wadi Shees in March 2023, and now in Wadi Wurayah in 2025, offering fresh hope for its survival.