Because there is so much variation in the climate all over Israel, it is home to many different kinds of animal species. Some of these are relatively common and I've seen them, like the Nubian ibex, which looks kind of like a ram or an antelope with its long horns and sandy coloring, or the hyrax, which is a small sandy-colored rodent with ever-growing teeth. Some of the other species I probably won't see during my stay, even though I would really like to catch a glimpse. Animals such as the Arabian leopard and the caracal wildcat are more unusual and difficult to spot.
The Arabian leopard looks like a leopard you are used to seeing pictures of or in a zoo. It is a sandy yellow color with black spots that create the traditional leopard-camoflauge pattern, and it is incredibly graceful as it slinks around in the sandy desert.
I have not seen one in real life, but I would really like to because big cats look so wild even when they're baring their teeth at you from a photograph. Seeing the Arabian leopard's long, sharp teeth is a little bit frightening, but also awe-inspiring to me.
