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Between March 1996 and January 1997 an adult male caracal was radio-tracked in the northern steppe desert of Saudi Arabia. Total home range, using the 95% minimum convex polygon method from 65 locations, increased from 270 km(2) in winter and spring to 448 km(2) by the end of summer, reaching 1116 km(2) by January 1997. The caracal fed on camel Camelus dromedarus and gazelle Gazella subgutturosa carcasses, and killed and ate a steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis; the faeces contained rodent bones (Meriones sp. and Gerbillus sp.). Diurnal resting areas had higher densities of small mammals than random sites. Low prey biomass in a very arid environment probably necessitated the large movements made by this individual. (C) 1998 Academic Press.