Pakistan Sand Cat
By Jane An
Description
- Classification: Mammal
- They're medium length thick fur protects them from cold temperatures during the night
- Have hairy ears to keep blowing sand out
- Fur Color: varies from pale yellowish brown to gray
- Narrow dark brown or black stripes on lower back and legs
- Narrow black bands and a black tip on tail
- Reddish orange markings around the eyes
- Have white chin and chests
- Paws have black fur on pads to protect them from hot desert sand and rocks
- Length: 45cm - 57cm (18 - 22.5 inches)
- Tail: 28 - 35cm (11 - 14 inches)
- Weight: 1.4kg - 3.4kg (3.25 - 7.75 lbs.)
- Communication: Their sharp hearing is a way of communication between male and female to mating and establishing territoriality
- Their ears are particularly sensitive
- Can hear movements of its prey both above and below ground
- Excellent diggers, but not agile jumpers or climbers
- Live up to 13 years
Food Chains and Habitat
- Eat small mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, and spiders
- Fluids they need to survive in the arid habitat is within their prey
- Often take food from the market (one of the reasons why they are endangered)
- Mainly carnivores
- Sand cats are predators
- Predators to Sand Cats: various animals such as venomous snakes, jackals, and humans (although we do not necessarily eat them)
- Location: desert areas of Northern Africa, Arabia, and parts of Central Asia
- Climate: Arid
- They live in areas that are flat and do not have a lot of vegetation
Adaptation
- Their fur is thick enough to prevent them being cold on cold nights
- When daytime, they hide underground (digging a hole) or a rock to keep themselves cool
- Their ears are sensitive enough to here their prey's movements
- Steals food from the market and eats it
- They may not be able to jump or climb well, but they make excellent diggers
- Usually, Sand Cats don't hunt in packs, because they can't find each other in the vast desert
Reasons for Endangerment
- Endangerment:
2. Taken by humans then pet traded
3. Predators kill them as preys
- What we could do to prevent them as extinct:
2. Instead of pet trading, we could trade something else