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Status of Caracal in Bahram'gur Protected Area, Iran

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Status of Caracal in Bahram'gur Protected Area, Iran nr ,a ln: ann I f lnl I lna \rL lU I I t(l L \ \rl at,alrrtat 1\raa ARASHGHODDOUS . TAHER GHADIRIAN'AND HADI FAHIMIl ing)must be implemented onthis species in Status of caracalin lranin the future. Studysite Bahram'gurProtected Area, BPAis an arid area in southern lran, cover- ing4073 km'7(Fig. 1).Located in Fars Prov- Iran ince(28" 37'to 29'45'N,54'25'to 55' 16'E), it hasbeen established asa protected Thecurrent status and distribution of caracalCaracal caracal in Bahram'gurPro- areasince 1972 (Ghoddousi etal. 2008). The tectedArea (BPA), southern lran, were studied using different methods for t2 months. regionis namedafter King Bahram'gur of Directobservations were restrictedto spot-lightingat night,a methodwhich pro- theSassanid dynasty (224-652 a.c.e.) who ducedthree caracal observations. Twelve photos of a malecaracal were taken with wasvery fond of huntingonagers Fquus cameratraps. The main prey items were determinedfrom a limitednumber of scat hemionusonager in thisreserve (Darvish- samplesto be capeharc Lepuscapensis and various rodents. Attack by herddogs sefat2006). BPA is oneof the mostim- androad kills were determined to bethe main threats facing this species in BPA. portantprotected areas in lranbecause of the continuedoccurrence of endangered Theoccurrence ofcaracal in lranhas been in lndiaby lranians (Drvyabhanusinh 1995). wildlifeincluding onager, Asiatrc cheetah, reportedby Blanfordin lBBBfrom Khuz- Oncethis elusive cat was among the most andHoubara bustard Chlamydotis undulata estanprovince, Southwestern lran(Missone c0mm0ndwellers of lran'sarid regions, (Darvishsefat2006). The central and less 1959). Specimens from southern lran are re- butafter recent human population growth, disturbedpart oI theprotected area, cover- . ferredlo C.c.schnitzi while in the northern habitatdegradation, andloss of larger prey ing325.76 km2, is consideredasthe core partsbordering Turkmenistan C.c.michaelis animalsin manyareas, population trends zone.Livestock herds are excluded from this mightbe present (Etemad 1984, Nowell & thereforeneed to bemonitored in different regionfor most of theyear (Flg. 2). Also, Jackson1996). Inlran, caracals are found in nrntoetod arpes mostof thelarger wildlife species can be thearid plains and rolling hills of the central Thereis a severelack of biological data on foundin this area, which rn 2008 has been andeastern parts of thecountry, with an thisspecies in lranand apart from a few upgradedto "NationalPark" status. The additionalpopulation insouthwestern lran observationreports and preliminary stud- majorityvegetation type of BPAconsists "caracal", 1 O (Etemad1984). The name mean- ies(Farhadinia et a1.2007) noother recent of Artenisiaspp.-Tygophyllum spp. with :------i: ing"black-eared", comes from Turkish {Mis- informationabout the caracal inlran is avai- almost50% coverage. Also, the mountains sone1959). Caracals were trained to hunt lableThis first study in BPA,aimed at as- ccntainPistacta atlantica and Anygdalus inlran and India in past centuries. Interest- sessingthe caracal's status was undertaken lycioides.The altitude range of 1580-2840m ingly,the animal has no Hindi or Urdu name duringan Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus andmean annual precipitaticn andtempera- andit isknown in lndia by its Persian name, venaticusreconnaissance (Ghoddousr et al tureof 150mmand I5'C have resulted ina Siah'gush("black-eared"). Thismay be be- 2008).Long-term ecological studies using temperatearid climate (Darvishsefat 2006). causethe animal was first used for hunting moreprecise techniques (e.g radio-collar- Persianleopard Panthera pardus saxicolor, Fig. 1. l,ocauonof BPAr¡r I¡an wrtlt recentobservahon ponts of caraca]b]ack dotsra¡d obseruationsby Etemad1985 (ted dots) ln lran. BPAmap: camera-Eap sttes (blue dots), observanon polnts of caracairpurpie dotsr ard game wardenstatrons (red slqns) wrth borders of the protectedarea (black) and the core zone(Sreen) CATnews 50 Spnng2009 CAIACA] Bahrarn'w ProtectedArea stripedhyena Hyaena hyaena,wolf Canis lu- pus,Asiatic cheetah, jungle cat Felis chaus, wildcatFelis sylvestris, common fox Vulpes vulpes,Blanford's fox Vulpescana, honey badgerMellivora capensis, and caracal are the well-knowncarnivores of BPA,while Asiaticmouflon }vis spp.,bezoar goal Capra aegagrus,jebeer gazelle Gazella bennettii, andonager are the main ungulates (Ghod- dousiet al. 2008). Methods Thestudy was conducted from August 2006 to August2007 using non-invasive field methodsto detectthe presence/absence ofAsiatic cheetah and to obtainbasic eco- logicaldata on other large wildlife including caracalin BPA.Our efforts had a particular focuson the core zone although other parts of BPAwere also surveyed. As a resultof ourresearch we obtained an evaluation of thestatus of thesespecies within the core zoneand other parts of BPAand a reviewof Fig. 2. A typical landscapeof BpA (phoroA Habibi) thefactors impacting these species within ourstudy area. The main methods are de- lnterviewsurve¡ Ouestionnaires were de- in thearea. Research was focused on the scribedasbelow: signedfor completionby localvillagers, corezone which is moreheavilv orotected Canera-trapping:Three 35mm passive ca- game-wardens,herders and hunters in BPA. andoff-limits for domestic livestock. Also, meratrap un¡ts were used in the core zone 0uestionsconcerning thepresence and dis- mostcaracal observations by local people of BPA.For seven nights a deadonager was tributionofBPA wildlife were provided along andgame wardens were in rnts area. 1,r usedas bait in oneof thecamera trapping withphotos to assistin the identification of Camera-trappingproduced promising data sites.The other site was locatednear a thetarget species. People were interviewed onthe presence of caracal. A sampling ef- scent-markingtreewhich had old reports of fromdifferent parts of thepark. Carnivore fort encompassingg7 trap-nights at two felidpresence. These two sites were loca- species,human-wiidlife interactions, and sitescaptured 21 wildlife photos: 12 were tedin the vast plains of BPA, not too far from poachingwere among the most important of a malecaracal obtained during two pe- eachother (Fig. 1). Unfortunately thethird questionsasked. Areas identified as con- riodsof trapping near a scent-markingtree unitwas stolen tn the mountainous part of tainingcarnivores during the interview sur- station(Fig. 3). Other wildlife photographs BPAwhere it wasinstalled, so no photos veywere chosen for closer scrutiny. wereof stripedhyena,0nager, red fox, wereobtained from this location. Scatanalysis'. From three sites (two scent- andCape hare. Spot-lighting performed for Spot-lighting.Night spot-lighting transects markingtrees and a caracalobservation about50 hours over a distanceofmore than wereconducted using avehicle with an ave- point)many carnivore scats were collected 750km on the roads of BPAproduced three ragespeed of 20km/hon all dirtroads in andsorted by macroscopic shape and size. caracalobservations: a mother with two BPAusing 1 or2 spot-lights.These randomly Caracalscats were identified bytheir felid- cubswas observed in August and 0ctober chosentransects were located in all habitat likeshape and size and the presence of 2006at twonearby sites, and a singleca- typesof BPAalthough our efforts were con- caracalhair. We werevery conservative racalwas observed in August 2007 at the centratedwithin the core zone. in sortingthe scats and few caracal scats northernborders of thecore zone (Fig 1). Fieldobservatrons {animal sightings and wereidentrfied for analysis.Scat samples Duringthese transects two jungle cats were signs):0pportunistic observations ofwildlife werestudied for hail bone, claw and other alsoobserved in the eastern BPA which is andtheir signs were made; these provided evidenceofprey items. a mountainousarea. 0f caracalprey, nume- informationabout the presence and distribu- rousBaluchistan gerbil Gerbillus nanus and tionof differentspecies within BPA. Tracks, Results 204Cape hares were observed during night dens,scent marking sites, and any other evi- Informationonthe presence of all fivefe- transects.lt should be noted that the nre- denceof wildlifeacttvity 0r pre-sence such lidspecies found in BPAwas gathered by senceof Afghanpika )chotona rufescens as remains,were noted while on foot and differentmethods during our suruey. More hasbeen reported forthe first time from the duringvehicle transects. Surveys around wa- informationwas gathered about caracals area(Ghoddousi etal 2008)and this could terholes were a priorityduring the dry sea- thanother species of wildcats in BPA.The bean additional food source for caracals son.0bserved wildlife information {species, occurrenceofcheetah and leopard was limi- althoughno pika remains were found dur- number,time, location, etc.) was recorded tedto reportsfrom game wardens. A total ingscat analysis. During field surveys two accordingtostandard protocols. of 22 daysof fieldsurvey were conducted scent-markingareas of largecarnivores CATnews 50 Spring2009 A GhoCdousiet al enant& Nel1998). A high density ofground birdsaround water holes in the dry season couldbe an additional food source for ca- racals.Both observations offemale caracal andcubs were near a waterhole in the core zoneduring drY season Thereis verylrttle information about the presenceofcaracal outside of the BPA core zone.The low density of caracalout of the corezone could be attributedto lowprey density,specifically: rodents, lagomorphs, smallungulates, and ground birds plus the permanentpresence of numerous herds of livestock.No reports of livestockpredation
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