Project
Morocco
Morocco ranks among the key biodiversity hotspots of the Mediterranean Basin. Its unique biogeographical position creates a rich mosaic of landscapes, ranging from the humid coastal plains, snowy mountain ranges, to vast shrubby desert and arid desert savannas. This ecological complexity supports the richest mammalian fauna in North Africa, among them the African Wildcat, the Sand Cat, and the Caracal.
Central Plateau
The Central Plateau, a rugged refuge bridging the Middle Atlas and the Atlantic Coastal plains, was once home to the Barbary Leopard. Today, only the African Wildcat and the enigmatic Caracal remain. Yet, the Caracal is a ghost in this landscape, as we know almost nothing of its population. As human development fragments these wildlands, we risk losing these elusive predators before we truly understand them. Our project aims to close this critical data gap, using systematic research to protect the Caracal, perhaps the last medium feline of Morocco today.
The project
This project maps the distribution and ecology of carnivores in a fragmented landscape, with particular emphasis on the Caracal (Caracal caracal), contributing essential baseline data for future conservation efforts in Morocco. For the start, we are supporting these efforts with camera traps to help document the carnivores in this understudied region.
Haytam Iallaten
Project partner
Currently based at the Institut Scientifique in Rabat, Haytam Iallaten is pursuing a PhD focused on the Central Plateau. His research maps the distribution and ecology of carnivores in fragmented landscapes, with particular emphasis on the Caracal (Caracal caracal), contributing essential baseline data for future conservation efforts in Morocco.
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Haytam studied Biodiversity and Environmental Studies at Mohammed V University in Rabat, where his early research focused on mammalian ecology. His Master’s thesis examined carnivore assemblages in the Rabat region using non-invasive monitoring techniques. A pivotal moment in his research occurred during his Master's fieldwork when he documented confirmed tracks of the Caracal in the forests neighboring Rabat, evidence that suggested the persistence of this elusive species in areas where it was thought to be extirpated.
