African Sand Cats Look Tiny And Have Adorable Faces, But They’re Wild Felines At Risk
In 2017, African sand cats captivated the internet after photos of them from a study conducted in Morocco went viral. Their miniature sizes and adorable faces make them look similar to a regular house cat, but these wild felines are well-adapted to the arid climates of the Sahara Desert and the Arabian Peninsula.
The sand cat weighs up to 7.5 pounds and has pale gray fur designed to help them camouflage themselves among the hard-packed gravel and dry brush of the harsh desert landscape. With their unique abilities to thrive in such desolate conditions, they are unlike any other wildcats known to science.
To understand more about the ecology of the species, a team of researchers has carried out the most extensive study of sand cats that has ever taken place. Their findings have helped break down the sand cat’s social dynamics and determine the sizes of their home range. They also discovered that the cat’s conservation status might need to be upgraded to “Near Threatened.”
Since the sand cats are so small and elusive, it was hard to track them through the extreme desert conditions. Still, the team did not back down from the challenge. They fitted 22 sand cats with VHF radio collars and followed them across southern Morocco, navigating through the glaring sun during the day, cold, strong winds at night, and uneven terrain.
As they observed the felines, they realized that the tiny sand cats were able to travel distances farther than previously thought, rivaling the ranges of larger cats, such as tigers and leopards. The sand cat’s projected range is about 1,093 square miles over six and a half months, although it is likely an underestimation. The cats can move beyond the area where technology can detect them, making it difficult to estimate where their ranges began and ended.
The vast desert may seem grim and empty, but further explorations showed there was more to the environment than meets the eye. The study’s lead author, Grégory Breton, described it as a place teeming with life.
“Our journey began in a scorching desert, with temperatures that can soar up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) during the summer months. Local herders flock by with goats or camels, often accompanied by guard dogs. Though the flat, arid land may sometimes look bleak and barren, it is alive with incredible wildlife, including poisonous snakes, golden eagles, African golden wolves, and African wildcats,” said Breton.
The researchers managed to obtain strong data for 10 of the cats and were even able to track one male cat for over a year. The information they collected led them to believe that the cats lived a nomadic lifestyle, “which has never been reported for any wild cat.”
The travel patterns of the species seem to be based on ecological conditions. When their food sources of vegetation and rodents are scarce, or activities of humans and other animals disturb the area they’re occupying, sand cats will move to another location.
Lubos Chlubny – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual cat
Due to the lack of fresh wounds, scars, and broken teeth on their bodies, the team also concluded that sand cats get along well with each other.
The discovery points to one aspect of the cat’s social dynamics; however, knowledge of their other interactions with one another remains limited.
“We hypothesize that the sand cats are tolerant of each other and likely non-territorial. Our understanding of their ecology remains however limited and their social organization and mating pattern almost unknown,” wrote the authors of the study.
In the past, sightings of the sand cats have been documented in 24 different countries. Since 2000, their presence has not been reported in four of the countries.
Currently, sand cats are classified as “Least Concerned” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
But with their newfound large home range sizes, their population numbers could be lower than estimated, calling for improved conservation efforts.
“There is still so much to learn about sand cats. With the future comes more opportunity to understand their home range sizes and the new territory we still leave unexplored,” said Breton.
“For now, I will keep sharing videos and pictures of this charismatic cat. For the sake of their conservation, they need it.”
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