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Sand Cat (Felis margarita)

Sand Cat | Felis margarita photo
Sand Cat
Photograph by Cédric Gravelle. Some rights reserved.


Description

The Sand Cat is a small wild cats about the size of a domestic cat. They are nocturnal cats with large ears and sensitive hearing. The ears are hairy to protect them from blowing sand. The body is covered with medium length thick fur to protect it from the cold night temperatures. The fur varies from pale yellowish brown to grey. There are narrow dark brown or black stripes along the lower back and legs. The tail has narrow black bands and a black tip. The face has reddish orange markings around the eyes. The chin and chest are white. The paws have black fur on the pads to protect them from the hot desert sand and rocks.

Size

Length: 45cm - 57cm. Weight: 1.4kg - 3.4kg

Habitat

The Sand Cat is found in deserts and other very dry habitats with sparse vegetation. Also found in rocky valleys with shrubs and trees.

Food

Sand cats are mainly carnivorous and eat small mammals, reptiles including venomous snakes, birds, insects and spiders. Their prey provides most of the fluids they need to survive in arid habitat.

Breeding

The Sand Cat breeding season varies depending on region. Females give birth to four or five kittens (range one to eight) after a gestation period of 59 - 63 days. The young are independent after about 6 to 8 months and mature adults after 9 - 14 months.

Range

Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Conservation Status

The conservation status in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals is "near threatened".



Classification
Class:Mammalia
Order:Carnivora
Family:Felidae
Genus:Felis
Species:margarita
Relatives in same Genus
  Jungle Cat (F. chaus)
  Pallas' Cat (F. manul)
  Black-footed Cat (F. nigripes)
  Wildcat (F. silvestris)

Wildcat | Felis silvestris photo
Sand Cat Felis margarita in the Twilight World zone at Bristol Zoo, England.
Photograph by Adrian Pingstone. License: Public Domain.