Nature has started to heal slowly but steadily. The Arabian sand cat is one of the long-lost animal species that has been rediscovered in the wild.
This sand cat used to live in Northern Africa, Central Asia, and the Arabian deserts, but it was assumed to be extinct a long time ago. It’s a nocturnal predator that only comes out at night to hunt. Its one distinguishing feature is that it does not need water to survive. It obtains all of its nourishment from its prey, which includes smaller birds, reptiles, and mammals.
This secretive species is little understood. Until recently, scientists had not been able to locate one for a long time. In 2015, a crew from the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency installed many cameras in the Baynouna protected area in Abu Dhabi, capturing images of the diverse flora and animals that reside there.
Hundreds of photos were taken over the course of five years, and three healthy Arabian sand cat individuals were among them. All of the sightings took place on moonlight, colder evenings, indicating that the species prefers a cooler environment.
It will be fascinating to observe whether the long-lost cat begins to reproduce again. The world really needs such positive news, and the sighting of the Arabian sand cat is certainly one of them.
