Where does the sand cat live?
The sand cat is a small wild cat that inhabits sandy and stony deserts far from water sources. It has been recorded in several disjunct locations in Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Niger, Chad, Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, and in Central Asia, in the Karakum Desert, since 1925. The first sand cat known to scientists was discovered in the Algerian Sahara and described in 1858.
What does the sand cat eat?
It eats small rodents and birds, venomous snakes, Egyptian spiny-tailed lizards, jirds, desert larks and small reptiles depending on the region. It gets its moisture from its prey, but drinks water if it is available. It rests in underground dens during the day and hunts at night. Its short ears, 5 to 7 cm, are set low on the sides of the head, aiding detection of prey moving underground, and the long hair on its paws insulates its pads against extreme temperatures.
Is the sand cat endangered?
No: the IUCN has listed it as Least Concern since 2016, after listing it as Near Threatened. It is threatened by habitat degradation, drought, which reduces its prey, traps, domestic dogs, capture for the pet trade and diseases from feral cats. It weighs 1.5 to 3.4 kg and measures 39 to 52 cm.
