Sand Cats are native to the Sahara Desert, Arabian Peninsula, and parts of central Asia. They are the size of a domestic cat and the smallest of all wild cats. Their bodies are equipped to thrive in the hot, dry deserts where the temperature can reach 124 degrees during the day but then drop to 31 degrees at night. They rely on their sense of hearing and smell to locate prey moving below the surface of the ground. Water is difficult to find in their natural habitat, so they obtain all of their water from the food they eat. The sand cat’s diet consists of small rodents, birds, hares, spiders, insects, reptiles, and even venomous snakes.
Sand cats are listed as “near threatened” according to the IUCN World Conservation Union. Although the species is not currently threatened by extinction, it could be if not monitored. Sand cat predators include snakes, jackals, and owls. Their populations are also threatened by humans due to poisoning and capture for the illegal pet trade.
Amal is on exhibit down in the Wonders of Nature building, adjacent to the cougar exhibit. The Ross Park Zoo is open Saturdays and Sundays only, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. until Sunday, November 29th.
The Ross Park Zoo is located at 60 Morgan Road in Binghamton, NY. General admission is $7 per person. The admissions booth is open Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and the zoo closes at 4:00 p.m. For more information, call (607) 724-5461 or visit the zoo website at rossparkzoo.org.
