North Carolina Zoo Welcomes Adorable Sand Cat Kitten

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: September 5, 2020 10:30 pm

The sand cat kitten at the North Carolina Zoo

Photo Credit: North Carolina Zoo

The North Carolina Zoo has shown off their latest arrival, a sand cat kitten. Sand cats are incredibly rare in zoos with just 33 held in zoos accredited by the the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

This kitten was born on Monday, August 10th to 3 year old mother Najma. The father is 5 year old Cosmo. This is the first kitten for the pair and it is small enough to fit in a tea cup.

Keepers are allowing the mum and kitten to bond in an off-display area with little interference from them. At North Carolina Zoo they live in the desert habitat which is currently closed to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.

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The sand cat kitten at the North Carolina Zoo

Photo Credit: North Carolina Zoo

Sand cats are only kept by 13 AZA accredited zoos and only 6 of these have potential breeding pairs.

While the kitten may be small the sand cat is a ferocious predator. They live in North Africa and the Arabian peninsula and are the only cat found primarily in deserts. These fearless hunters are capable of hunting a venomous snake. They also eat rodents, spiders and insects.

Their big ears assist with their exceptional hearing that allows them to find food under the sand. They then dig down to capture this prey.

The sand cat kitten at the North Carolina Zoo

Photo Credit: North Carolina Zoo

Sand cats are able to survive the harsh desert as they are nocturnal in nature helping them to survive the hot and cold climates in the desert. They are naturally solitary and will only come together to mate in the wild.

Learn more about the sand cat here – Sand Cat Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about the North Carolina Zoo on their website – North Carolina Zoo