Caracal Desert: habitat of the world's fastest cat

October 17, 2020 - 17:37

TEHRAN – From mountainous areas with scattered plains and hills to deserts with palm trees and sand dunes, all form part of Bafgh's protected nature. Let's get acquainted with Caracal and its wonders, one of the most famous deserts of Iran.

In the heart of the deserts of Iran, somewhere near the city of Bafgh in the province of Yazd, the Caracal Desert is situated. Bafgh is a city about 100 km south of Yazd, which has a temperate climate from the east due to the mountainous areas, while its western side leads to the desert with a dry climate. Caracal Desert or Sadeghabad Desert is located near a village of the same name.

Caracal, a frame displaying colors and wonders

At the same time, this desert shows an image of palm trees and desert hills. Caracal, like a painting, is formed from a combination of colors that dazzle the eyes of every viewer. Like all the central deserts of Iran, it has a great miracle in its heart. Watching the night sky and what is in it is one of the indescribable wonders of the desert.

The desert’s black-ear habitat

This desert, which has a unique and beautiful nature, has borrowed its strange name from the famous wild cats that live in this area. 

The Caracal or Lynx, an endangered wild cat also called the desert’s black-ear, is one of the heaviest and fastest subfamilies of cats living in the Middle East and Africa. Predatory cats, known for their extraordinary speed, talent, and intelligence in hunting, have fascinated many hunters. In the past, in India and Iran, caracal was used to hunt birds, rabbits, or young gazelles. 

Caracals providentially are present across most regions of eastern and central Iran, including Fars and northern Khuzestan but there are also some concerns over the status of populations not just in Iran but also in the Central Asian Republics and also in Pakistan.

Dry steppes and semi-deserts of Kavir National Park, Tooran National Park, Bahram-e Goor Protected Area, Saghand Yazd, Abbasabad Naeen, Naybandan Wildlife Refuge, Sistan-Baluchestan, Khorasan, Masjedsoleyman, and Kermanshah are all listed as Caracal habitats in the country.

Apart from this rare species, various other species of animals also live in this desert, which has been able to distinguish it from other deserts and has attracted the attention of many tourists.

A fascinating trip 

Many tourists who plan to travel to the Caracal Desert know that they can enjoy a thrilling entertainment program after hours of walking on soft, silky sands and watching the starry night sky of the desert. Tourists can go to the heart of the desert on desert bikes, experience camel riding in the sand, and try a good safari. In this desert, traditional accommodations are also available to host guests.

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