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Sand Cat | ||
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Felis margarita (Loche, 1858) | ||
Information | ||
Range |
Central Asia, Middle East, North Africa | |
Scientific Classification | ||
Kingdom |
Animalia | |
Phylum |
Chordata | |
Class |
Mammalia | |
Order |
Carnivora | |
Family |
Felidae | |
Genus |
Felis | |
Species |
F. margarita | |
Conservation Status (IUCN 3.1) | ||
Least Concern |
The Sand Cat (Felis margarita), also known as sand dune cat, is a small wild cat that lives in desert areas in North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. They have a soft, thick yellow-brown coat of fur. They are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.[1]
Diet[]
Sand cats eat gerbils and similar rodents such as jerboas and jirds. They also prey on small birds and cape hares. Sand cats also eat reptiles that they can handle, such as geckos and other small lizards. However, they have also been known to take on venomous snakes.