‘Apex predator’ makes rare appearance on trail camera in UAE mountains. See it
As night settled across the mountains of the United Arab Emirates, an “apex predator” moved through the rocky terrain. Its elusive behavior and nocturnal lifestyle helped it go largely undetected — until it passed a trail camera.
Volunteers and conservationists set up trail cameras throughout Wadi Wurayah National Park, “the UAE’s first mountain protected area,” as part of ongoing efforts to document and monitor the park’s wildlife, the Emirates Nature-World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in an Oct. 7 news release.
Recently, conservationists were reviewing the camera footage when a roughly 10-second clip caught their attention. The video, taken May 15, clearly showed an Arabian caracal — the park’s first confirmed sighting, the organization said.
Arabian caracals, or Caracal caracal schmitzi, are “one of the most iconic predators in the region, instantly recognisable by its striking black ear tufts and powerful build, and for its role as an apex predator,” Emirates Nature-WWF said. Globally, these cats are not considered at risk of extinction, but in the UAE, they are considered critically endangered and rare “with likely fewer than 250 mature individuals surviving in the wild.”
Emirates Nature-WWF shared a video of the caracal sighting at Wadi Wurayah National Park in an Oct. 8 Instagram post. The brief clip shows the cat approach from the left, climb over a rock pile and stop to seemingly lick the rocks.
Emirates Nature-WWF told McClatchy News the Arabian caracal was recorded on at least two trail camera sites in Wadi Wurayah National Park. Another photo shows the cat walking along some rocks at the park one morning.
“We are delighted to have caught photos of this species on camera,” Andrew Gardner, an associate director of biodiversity conservation with Emirates Nature-WWF, said in the release. “However, we must also recognize that a single record is fragile evidence — not a guarantee of long-term recovery; which is why this finding must be met with immediate, well-planned action.”
Emirates Nature-WWF described the Arabian caracal sighting as “a milestone for conservation” and “offering fresh hope for (the animal’s) survival” in the UAE.
Conservation efforts at Wadi Wurayah National Park are ongoing. A video shared on YouTube by the park shows its mountainous terrain.
Wadi Wurayah National Park, also known as Wadi Wurayah Biosphere Reserve, is near the northeastern coast of the UAE and a roughly 90-mile drive northeast from Dubai.
This story was originally published October 8, 2025 at 6:08 AM with the headline "‘Apex predator’ makes rare appearance on trail camera in UAE mountains. See it."
