Emily Chan
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.”
