The sand cat (Felis margarita) is a small wild <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felis">cat</a> that inhabits sandy and stony <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desert">deserts</a> far from water sources. With its sandy to light grey fur, it is well camouflaged in a desert environment. Its head-and-body length ranges from 39–52 cm (15–20 in) with a 23–31 cm (9.1–12.2 in) long tail. Its 5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in) short ears are set low on the sides of the head, aiding detection of prey moving underground. The long hair covering the soles of its <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paw">paws</a> insulates its pads against the extreme temperatures found in deserts.The first sand cat known to scientists was discovered in the <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algeria">Algerian</a> <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahara">Sahara</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_description">described</a> in 1858. To date, it has been recorded in several disjunct locations in <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sahara">Western Sahara</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco">Morocco</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algeria">Algeria</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger">Niger</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad">Chad</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt">Egypt</a>, the <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Peninsula">Arabian Peninsula</a> and the <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East">Middle East</a>. In <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Asia">Central Asia</a>, it was first recorded in the <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karakum_Desert">Karakum Desert</a> in 1925. The large gap between these two regions of its global range was partially closed in 1948, when a sand cat skin was found in an <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oasis">oasis</a> of the <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rub%27_al_Khali">Rub' al Khali</a> in <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oman">Oman</a>. It is discontinuously distributed in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East. In the early 1970s, sand cats were caught in southwestern <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan">Pakistan</a> and exported to zoos worldwide. Due to its wide distribution and large population, it is listed as <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least-concern_species">Least Concern</a> on the <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IUCN_Red_List">IUCN Red List</a>. The sand cat usually rests in underground dens during the day and hunts at night. It moves 5.4 km (3.4 mi) on average at night in search of small <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodent">rodents</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird">birds</a>. It also kills and consumes <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venomous_snake">venomous snakes</a>. In spring, the female gives birth to two to three kittens, which become <a target="_blank" rel="ugc" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexually_mature">sexually mature</a> around the age of one year. The sand cat's ecological requirements are still poorly understood, as only a few in-depth studies targeting wild sand cat populations have been conducted.

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