Sand Cat Habitat And Food
Sand cats live exclusively in desert regions.
Sand cat habitat and food. Sand cat hides leftovers of food in the sand. Habitat degradation is the major threat to the sand cat. Conditions are extreme in the desert and temperatures can reach 124º F during the day and 31º F at night.
The smallest cat species in Arabia the sand cat Felis margarita is well adapted to its arid desert habitat obtaining all the water it needs from its foodPrey capture is facilitated by the sand cats highly sensitive ears which are large and triangular and capable of detecting noises from animals both above and below the surface of the sand. They are found in areas of sandy and stony desert. 6 7 years in the wild.
Vulnerable arid ecosystems are being rapidly degraded by human settlement and activity especially livestock grazing Allan and Warren 1993 Al-Sharhan et al. In North Africa the cat appears in numerous locations. Wars and political strife harms the sand cat by harming its habitat.
The rare vascular plants that characterise sandy habitats and which will come to benefit from the Sand Life measures include sea holly wild thyme dwarf everlast. The long hair covering the. They are found near the patches of sparse vegetation that can support their prey species and the cats have special adaptations to survive in the extreme desert conditions.
The Sand Cat primarily occupies sandy deserts but has also been recorded in stony and rocky deserts. They are able to survive for months on the water in their foodAfter a 59 68 day gestation usually 3-4 kittens are born twice per year in a. Local people sometimes trap sand cats for pets.
Sand cat is carnivore meat-eaters. Sand Cats feed on rodents birds lizards and snakes and they are generally active throughout the night aided in hunting by their excellent night vision. Sand cats are active during the night nocturnal animals to avoid high temperatures above 52 degrees of Celsius during the day.