56
Habitat and Behaviour The Sand Cat is a predator of sandy desert,
including extensive dune country and also stony areas. It is mainly
nocturnal and solitary, living in burrows excavated under shrubs and
tussocks. It is one of the few cats known to dig for prey and shelter.
Rodents make up much of its diet, but it also eats reptiles, birds and
invertebrates. Births have been recorded in January–April in the
Sahara. Two to five kittens, each weighing 55 g, are dropped after a
63-day gestation.
Distribution and Status The Sand Cat probably occurs across much
of the Sahara to the Red Sea Hills. It is widespread in the Arabian
Peninsula, with a limited range in Israel and Palestine, Jordan and Iraq
west of the Euphrates River. In Iran it appears to be restricted to the
north-east and Baluchestan in the east.
Conservation Areas Tassili N’Ajjer NP, Ahaggar NP (Algeria); Bou-
Hedma NP (Tunisia); Aïr and Tenere NR (Niger); Hai Bar NR, North
Arava Valley NR (Israel); Mahazat as-Sayd NR, Harrat al-Harrah NR
(Saudi Arabia); Jal Az-Zor NP (Kuwait); Kavir NP (Iran).
PALLAS’S CAT Felis (Otocolobus) manul
Identification Also called the Manul or Steppe Cat, this stocky,
long-haired cat is limited to Iran within the region. The hair on its
underparts and tail is twice as long as the hair on its back and sides,
an adaptation to the cold nature of its chosen habitats. Its fur colour
varies, but within Iran it is usually buff with fox-red infusion. The hairs
are tipped with white, lending a somewhat silvery appearance. The
short legs are marked with indistinct black bands, and the tail is black-
tipped with a few black rings. The cat has a large, flattened head and
short, rounded and low-set ears. The black spotting on its forehead