sand cats

The Sand Cat (Felis margarita) also referred to as the Sand Dune Cat, is one of the world’s smallest wildcats. It ranges African and Asian deserts, such as the Sahara, the Arabian desert as well as the Iranian and Pakistan deserts. Sand cats are found from Morocco and Mauritania in the west, as far as Egypt and the Sudan in the east. Tradition holds that the Sand cats were the companions of the Prophet Mohammed and his daughter. Archeologists believe that the this little wildcat may have been domesticated and kept as a pet in ancient Egypt. The Sand cat, a true desert dweller, can live in arid areas that are too hot and dry even for the African Wildcat. They are a close relative of the European Wildcat, Felis silvestris and prefer the extremely arid terrains − sandy and stoney areas, with sparse bushes. They’re poor climbers and jumpers, but excellent diggers. Sand cats are also found in rocky areas in Arabia and can survive in temperatures ranging from -5 °C (23 °F) to 52 °C (126 °F) retreating into burrows in extreme conditions. They live in burrows abandoned by foxes or porcupines or enlarge gerbils’ and other rodents’ burrows. They drink water when it is available, but mostly survive for months on the water absorbed from their food/prey. This little wildcat weighs around 6 lbs. and it’s body is 1.5-2 ft  long, with sandy yellow fur with very pale stripes. The forelegs have 2 dark stripes encircling the legs. The tip of the tail is black with black rings.  Sand cats have long, dense hairs covering the soles of the feet. This desert adaptation ensures insulation from hot sand and silent stalking when hunting prey over loose sand. The Sand cat has extremely broad ears. At night it uses its sensitive ears and great digging skills to take down a variety of prey from above and beneath the ground − including birds, lizards, gerbil, jerboas, insects and even venomous desert snakes. Sand cats have a reputation (among Saharan nomads) for being highly efficient snake hunters, especially of horned and sand vipers. They stun the snakes with rapid blows to the head and kill speedily with a neck bite. Sand cats often hide dead prey under the sand and return later to feed. They are hunted by poisonous snakes, jackals and large owls. Sand cats birth 2-4 kittens after a gestation period averaging 59-63 days. Kittens grow rapidly, become independent at about 2-4 months and are sexually mature at 14 months. In captivity they live to around 13 years. The first field study on Sand cats was carried out in Israel. Because Sand cats live in vast desert locations, biologists find them extremely difficult to track and study, so population numbers are unavailable. The fur on the soles of their feet keeps them from sinking in soft sand and makes their tracks almost invisible. Then, when caught in research light at night, they crouch low and close their eyes − cleverly ensuring that no reflection is visible. This behaviour, combined with their colouring is an excellent camouflage that compounds problems of data collection. Sand cats bury their scat, so gathering data about their diet is almost impossible. They’re not threatened with loss of habitat as their natural environment is the desert. The Sand cat species is threatened because it is hunted for sport and the pet trade. The Sand cat is killed by farmers, who consider them threats to their livestock. A Species Survival Program for the Sand cat has been established by the Living Desert Museum in California in 1990. This is one of the rare studbooks for small wild cats. A subspecies, the Pakistan Sand cat, is endangered, and likely extinct in the wild. Hunting the Sand cat is prohibited in eight countries.