Desert kittens have finally been seen on video for the first time, after four years of intensive investigation.
When the kittens, who were aged between six and eight weeks old, were discovered, they were immediately taken in by a big cat group called Panthera, which spent around an hour photographing them before radio-collaring an adult female who was thought to be their mother. The kittens were discovered by the team, which was led by scientists Grégory Breton and Dr. Alexander Sliwa, while they were driving back to camp in the Moroccan Sahara in April of this year. Finding three pairs of luminous eyes in the darkness was such a lucky break for the researchers that they couldn’t believe their good fortune when they recognized what they had discovered.
“It was incredible to discover these kittens,” said Breton, managing director of Panthera France. “It was incredible to discover these kittens.” Researchers think this was the first time wild sand cat babies were discovered in their African habitat, according to the authors.
Only one feline species, the sand cat, can be found in the desert, and they are the only ones that do. Their range includes North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, but as the study team discovered, detecting them is very difficult owing to their exceptional ability to elude detection.
They may also be found in the Mediterranean region. Their sand-colored coats make them difficult to notice, and their fuzzy paws ensure that they leave no imprints in the sand as they walk. As a result, they only travel at night and always clean up after themselves, making it all the more astonishing that the crew was able to record the incredible video seen below. See for yourself by scrolling down. You will not be able to keep them as pets, just in case you’re wondering!
Watch the video below…