A camera trap in the vicinity of the Garabogazköl Bay has recorded a caracal kitten, a rare and endangered wild cat.
This network of camera traps was established in Turkmenistan through the collaboration of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the nature conservation organization Bars Turkmenistan of Conservation X Labs.
The caracal is an endangered species in Turkmenistan. According to the 2011 edition of the Red Book of Turkmenistan, in 2000 the caracal population was estimated at 300–400 individuals, and no significant changes have been recorded since then.
The caracal's habitat extends across all regions of the country. It is most frequently encountered in saxaul thickets, cherkez, pistachio woodlands, river valleys, and stabilized sands. The caracal avoids open, vegetation-barren plains.
The appearance of a kitten on the camera trap is a rare and significant confirmation of the continued preservation of the caracal population in Turkmenistan.
