Friday, Jul 13, 2007
Gulf News
Al Ain: Al Ain zoo has successfully bred in captivity sand cats - an endangered smallest member of the Arabian cats' family.
The new born sand cats are now over four weeks old, and growing robust and active by the day.
The kittens are on display at the New Nocturnal House of the zoo with visitors having the opportunity to view them and their parents at a close range through a glass viewing area.
Majid Al Mansouri, Managing Director of Al Ain Zoo said the conservation of endangered species is a priority of the zoo. "The birth of the Arabian sand cat is evidence of what can be achieved when conservation is a priority and high husbandry techniques are achieved," he said.
Hard to spot
The cats are efficient nocturnal hunters that burrow into the sand dunes to escape the heat of the day acquiring all their moisture from their prey.
This animal is hard to spot as it frequents isolated desert areas and remains far from water sources. They only come together for breeding, thus accurate numbers of the species have yet to be determined.
"The sand cat is a difficult species to keep in captivity, and is the smallest member of the cat family in Arabia standing 26 cm at the shoulder and weighing up to 3kg," said a zoo spokesperson.
They inhabit stony and sandy desert regions where temperatures range between -5 to 58 degrees C.
He said that the number of sand cats is on the decline due to significant loss of habitat and reduced preying possibilities.
"The birth of the sand cat marks the zoo's commitment to conservation and is part of a series of initiatives recently undertaken by the zoo," he said.
In April 2007, the zoo in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency released a number of Arabian Oryx into their natural habitat.
Other species that will be part of a captive breeding programme and possible reintroduction in the future to North Africa include the scimitar-horned Oryx and Addax, both critically endangered desert antelopes, said the director.
Gulf News 2007. All rights reserved.
