answersLogoWhite

0

The sand fox is nocturnal so it operates during the cool portion of the day rather than traveling in the scorching sun. It has developed large ears to improve its ability to cool itself as canine animals don't sweat like we do. and it burrows underground to keep it cool when it is sleeping.

They favour flat or undulating terrain where there is little vegetation, they avoid areas where there is not very much food, like bare sand dunes. They have quite a wide range of survivability in regards to temperature which ranges from anything from -5°C to 126°C however during extreme conditions they will normally retreat back to their burrows. Most of their water comes from their prey so they normally don't drink additional water as they can survive months merely from the water aquired from their food. However if water is available they will drink it.

They have very large auditory bullae which will enhance the cats hearing to help it to pick up the vibrations in the sand, as well as this their ears are widely spaced and can be flattend horrizontally or pointed down to aid their hunting further.

Small rodents are their primary prey, with records from Africa including including Spiny Mice (Acomys spp), Jirds (Merionesspp), Gerbils (Gerbillus spp), and Jerboas (Jaculusspp. and Allactaga tetradactyla), but also young of Cape Hare (Lepus capensis). They have also been observed to hunt small birds like Greater Hoopoe Lark (Alaemon alaudipes), Desert Lark (Ammomanes deserti), and consume reptiles such as Desert Monitor (Varanus griseus), Fringe-toed lizards (Acanthodactylus spp.), Sandfish (Scincus scincus), Short-fingered Gecko (Stenodactylus spp.), Horned and Sand vipers of the genus Cerastes, and insects (De Smet 1988, Abbadi 1993, Dragesco-Joffé 1993, Sliwa in press). Sand-dwelling rodents made up the majority (65-88%) of stomach contents from carcasses collected in Turkmenistan and Uzebekistan in the 1960s (Schaenberg 1974). In Arabia the sand cat's distribution coincides with that of Sand Skinks and Arabian toad-head lizards; both reptiles are thought to be an important source of food for the cat [1]

[1] http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/8541/0

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

What cats live in the desert?

Desert Lynx & Sand Cat


Is there a sand cat in the Sahara desert?

yes there is


Why the scorpion is the best desert adapted arthropod?

Scorpions are mainly desert arthropods . Their covered like wise with shell . scorpions are heat arthropods , their made to withstand heat so their adapted to the desert which compacks lots of heat. They travel in the sand and are rearly seen above the sand. In generally we can say the sand is the scorpions home. therefore because the desert is mainly sand only their mostly found there.


What is an example of an indicator species in the desert?

the sand cat (felis margarita)


Which is the habitat where camel is bilogically adapted to live?

a camel is adapted to a desert because iys toes are physically designed to walk on the sand.


Which is the only cat found in the desert?

There are many cats that make the desert their home. In North America we have bobcats, cougars, jaguar, ocelots and jaguarundi. Africa has the caracal, sand cat, occasional cheetahs and even lions in the Namib Desert.


How does a sidewinder snake adapted to the desert?

Sidewinders have adapted to the desert by using a "sidewinding" motion, which they only touch the hot sand with certain parts of their body at a time, therefore only allowing a small amount of skin to touch the sand. This keeps them cooler, and also allows them to travel across the sand much faster.


How does the does fox survive in the desert?

Desert foxes have fur that blends in with the sand found in the desert. They have also adapted to only need a small amount of water each day.


What is the ecological niche of a sand cat?

The sand cat's ecological niche is that of a desert specialist, adapted to thrive in arid environments with extreme temperatures and limited water sources. They are nocturnal hunters that prey on small mammals, reptiles, and insects, and their unique adaptations allow them to survive in harsh desert conditions. Sand cats play a key role in controlling rodent populations in their ecosystems.


How do small desert-dwelling animals prevent loss of their own moisture?

Small animals living in the desert, such as the jerboa or sand cat, prevent loss of moisture in their bodies by simply eating food. The plants (jerboa) and prey (sand cat) have already consumed water, so as the sand cat/jerboa/whatever eats, it consumes water.


How the sand fox adapted to live in its habitat?

Sand foxes have sand coloured fur that helps them to blend in with the desert and they also have huge ears that can help cool them down. They have fur on their feet that stops the sand from burning them, and possibly balance them when walking on sand.


What are all desert demon forms?

Sand, sand, and desert sand