Sand Cat

Felis margarita

Africa has only about 11,ooo sand cats left, and their population is decreasing, but they're listed as "near threatened" on conservation status (the 2nd lowest an animal can get).

Sand cats inhabit some area across the Sahara Desert, from Morocco in the west to as far as Egypt and the Sudan in the east. They also occur in the Middle East and there is thought to be a very small population in Central Asia.

The sand cat hunts by digging. Their highly developed hearing allows them to locate prey which is not only sparsely distributed, but underground as well. Their primary diet consists of 3 species of gerbils. It also includes birds, reptiles and arthropods. They are also known for being snake hunters, which they kill with a rapid blow to the head that stuns, and then administer the death bite to the neck. Sand Cats will also cover large kills with sand and return later to feed.

These cats have been reported to have 2 litters per year in parts of their territory in both March-April, and again in October. Gestation is 59-63 days, after which females produce a litter of 2-4 kittens.

At birth, the newborns weigh approximately 1.5-2 ounces, and will gain about .4 ounces per day. Their eyes will normally be open by the 14th day, and they will begin to walk by the 21st day. They begin to take solid food at 5 weeks and become independent by 3-4 months.