Sand dune cat, Sahara cat
The Sand cat (Felis margarita) is a small wild cat that inhabits sandy and stony deserts far from water sources. The first Sand cat known to science was discovered in the Algerian Sahara and described in 1858. In the early 1970s, these adorable animals were caught in southwestern Pakistan and exported to zoos worldwide. Among the Tuareg people of the Ténéré desert, Sand cats have a reputation of efficiently killing venomous snakes.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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Cute AnimalsThe Sand cat looks a bit like a domestic cat, though with the addition of furry paws, giant ears, and a very curious personality. These cats are small and stocky, with short legs and a tail that is relatively long. Their fur is generally a pale sandy color, usually with a white belly. A faint reddish line runs from the outer corner of each eye across the cheeks. There are dark brown to blackish bars on the limbs, and the tail has a black tip with two or three dark rings alternating with buff bands. Markings vary between individuals: some have neither spots nor stripes, some are faintly spotted, and some have both spots and stripes. Their feet are very thickly furred, which is thought to help them cope with the desert’s extreme temperatures-like wearing shoes to walk on hot asphalt.
The Sand cat lives in northern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and central and southwest Asia. It occurs in arid sandy and stony deserts, particularly among sparse vegetation.
Sand cats are solitary except during the mating season. They communicate by means of claws and scent marks on objects within their range. Sand cats are not good jumpers or climbers, but are excellent diggers, and dig shallow burrows in which to avoid desert temperatures during the day. They sometimes lie outside their burrows on their backs to release internal heat. They share their burrows with other individuals, but not at the same time. Sand cats usually rest in underground dens during the day and hunt at night. When it gets dark they come out to hunt. In one night they will sometimes travel about 10 km (over 6 miles). These cats communicate with vocalizations that sound like those of domestic cats but they also make high-pitched loud barking sounds, particularly when looking for a mate.
Sand cats are carnivores and eat rodents, birds, hares, reptiles, and even insects. They use the moisture from their prey to enable them to survive with no additional water, or very little.
Sand cats are very shy and rare, so not much is known about their mating system. Living solitary lives except during the breeding season may mean that these cats are polygynous. It seems that their hearing is important for communication during the breeding season, the timing of which depends on the location: January-April (Sahara), September- October (Pakistan), and April (Turkmenistan). After a gestation of 59-63 days, females produce 2-4 kittens, although they may bear two litters in the same year in some areas. Kittens grow fast and are nearly fully grown at five months old. They become completely independent at six to eight months of age when they already are eating some solid food. They are reproductively mature at 9-14 months old.
The primary threats to this species include the destruction of habitat by humans and the decline of their prey populations. They are also hunted for sport, and are easy targets, as they are not aggressive, and they like to sun themselves during the day on rocks. Another threat is the introduction of domestic and feral cats and dogs, which may prey upon, compete with, or transmit diseases to the Sand cat.
According to the IUCN Red List, there are relatively few records of the Sand cat, and the species is often reported as rare. The total population size of the Sand cat is conservatively estimated at 27,264 mature individuals. It is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the list of threatened species.
