Europe
sand cats
General Description
The sand cats are of mammal species and have very sensitive ears which are capable of hearing animals above and below ground.The sand cats feet are covered in thick hair making it easier to move in its enviorment, as well as keeping them cool from the desert heat.The sand cats fur are usually tanish brown,brown,grey and beige.And has black lines on its body,torso and tail.The patterns on the specie varies from the other sub-species.The average sand cats body length is 45-57 cm.Its tail is 28-35 cm.They are 10-12 inches in height.They way almost 1.5-3.5 kg.The sand cats acute hearing plays a big role in its communication.The male has a loud barking noise which draws attention.And unusual thing about sand cats are that they're upper lips and belly are white and its paws are protected by fur.
Food Chain
The sand cats food sources are: rodents, hares, birds, reptiles, and sand skinks.
Sand cats find their food sources by hunting.They like to hunt at night by themselves.Sand cats usually spend a whole say in borrows or shelters hunting for prey.Sand cats are carnivores.Sand cats are predators around its area mostly, in open, scarce hunting grounds close to rivers.Sand cats prey,its predators are venemous snakes,jakal birds, and humans.
Habitat
The sand cats habitat is in the deserts mostly dusty deserts with no vegetation.They are mostly found in North Africa, South West Africa, and Central Asia.They are almost always surronded by deserts.Their homes are in stony and sandy deserts usually borrows or shelters.
Adaption
Sand cats have triangular ears that are large compared to its head.Its ears are very sensitive and help it find animals above and below ground.The male sand cats have a very loud barking call which help it claim its territory and help other animlas know as well as mating with the other gender.Interestingly sand cats can live without water; instead it gets fluid from its prey.At a very early age sand cats become mature and very independent.
Endangerment and Critical Information
The sand cat is not an endangered specie because of habitat loss, they are collected for pet trade, and they are hunted for a sport.It's believed that the sand cat population might have been affected by the golf war.The sand cat is classified as endangered, it is so rare that this cat is listed as only having 116 cats of this species living world wide.The sand cat is always held in captivity generally in North American zoos.They can live up to 13 years in captivity.
Sand Cat Kittens - Ramat Gan Safari Zoo
Attribution For Images
still sandcat-by Joachim S. Muller (flickr)
innocent-looking sandcat-by Yinghai (flickr)
sandcat teeth-by Rafael Millan (flickr)
Attribution For Video
video of sand cat kittens by- revitalsa