The Kuwait Environment Protection Society commented on the sighting of the rare sand cat by Talal Al-Muwaizri, a member of its bird monitoring and protection team, stating that \u201cprotecting this creature requires community awareness, respect for the environment, and support for research and environmental monitoring efforts. Every habitat preserved, every law enforced, and every violator deterred is a step towards preserving this natural treasure that lives among us, visible only to those who seek with love and respect for nature. Let us protect the sand cat, for it is a symbol of our desert and a testament to its diversity, and this is one of our duties towards future generations.\u201d In this context, Talal Al-Muwaizri, a member of the Society and the bird monitoring team, said: \u201cI embarked on an exploratory field trip deep into the Kuwaiti desert to observe one of the rarest wildlife in the country, specifically in areas far from urbanization and noise, where a rare creature, unknown to many, lives, called the sand cat, or locally, the \u201cherr\u201d or \u201dtafah\u201c.\u201d He adds: \u201cThe trip came as part of personal efforts to document wildlife in Kuwait, specifically this threatened animal, which appears only rarely, and is difficult to see except by chance or by searching for it for several hours without stopping, and sometimes for several days at certain times of the night, because it has been recorded moving long distances in one night, about 5 to 10 kilometers.\u201c He describes it as \u201da cautious, nocturnal creature that is difficult to track or observe without a thorough understanding of its behavior. It prefers sandy and gravelly areas containing what are locally called 'matanij,' and some areas where shrubs like tamarisk and desert broom grow. However, we have observed it near colocynth shrubs (Citrus aegyptiacus), due to the abundance of rodent burrows, such as those of mice and rats, found near this plant. These rodents are a primary food source for the sand cat, in addition to reptiles, insects, birds, and even the horned viper (Um Junaib), which it surprises with a swift blow to the head, enough to kill it. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the sand cat is classified as 'near threatened.'" The member of the bird monitoring and protection team at the Environment Society continues, saying, "Its numbers are declining due to habitat loss, illegal hunting, and human impacts on the desert environment. The rarity of sightings in the wild indicates a decrease in its population or an increase in its stealth behavior due to threats. Furthermore, it relies on the prey rule of small mammals." The sand cat needs sufficient vegetation, and this can be severely affected by drought or decline due to desertification and loss of natural vegetation. Al-Muwaizri stated, "The sand cat has several subspecies, including the Pakistani subspecies (scheffeli), the Turkmen subspecies, the Niger and Sudan subspecies (airensis), and the North African subspecies (margarita). However, today we are discussing the Arabian subspecies (harrisoni), so the name of the Arabian subspecies is (Felis margarita harrisoni)." He pointed out that "the sand cat is one of the smallest cats, weighing between 2 and 3.5 kilograms and reaching a length of about 50 centimeters excluding the tail. Its reddish-sand color provides excellent camouflage in the desert environment. Its ears are broad and set low on the sides of its head, which helps it to remain hidden. The soles of its paws are covered with thick black hair, which helps it jump in the sand. If it senses danger, it lies flat on the ground, its entire body level with the surface." The prey is large; the cat eats some of it, buries the rest, and returns to it later. He noted that the cat digs a burrow under some perennial shrubs or in quarries, where it remains in a state of hibernation throughout the day to conserve fluids, as water is scarce in the desert during the summer. It is adapted to living without water, obtaining it from the bodily fluids of its prey. He pointed out that the cat lives a solitary life, and the male and female meet during the mating season, which occurs twice a year: in March and October. The female gives birth to 2 to 6 kittens after a two-month gestation period. The cat's enemies in the desert are eagles, hyenas, foxes, wolves, and other predators that prey on the kittens, as the adults can defend themselves and escape. Talal Al-Muwaizri explained that its greatest enemy is humans. Some kill it without reason, trade in its kittens, and hunt it with Saluki dogs. This is unacceptable and shameful because hunting is a harmful hobby. Hunting with salukis is an authentic hobby in the Arabian Peninsula, and there are a few who seek to distort this hobby and heritage. They certainly do not know the origins of hunting, and they only represent themselves. It is said that the word \u201ctafah\u201d comes from \u201ctafah,\u201d which is a description, for example, a \u201ctafah\u201d man, because of his triviality in hiding, as is clear in the pictures, he lay down on the ground believing that he was hiding, and for this reason his name is \u201ctafah.\u201d.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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