Endangerment Status
The sand cat was deemed Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2002 due to concern over potential low population size and decline. There are 116 sand cats worldwide, with 36 in the United States.
Reason for Endangerment
- Pet trade
- Hunted for sport
- Fires/bombs of the Gulf War
- Habitat degradation
-Vulnerable arid ecosystems being rapidly degraded by human settlement - Drought/desertification/loss of natural vegetation affecting the sand cat's small-mammal prey base
- Traps laid out for foxes/jackals
- Introduction of domestic dogs/cats, creating predation/disease transmission/direct competition
Efforts Being Made to Protect the Sand Cat
International trade agreements have been put into place to restrict the trade of the sand cat and/or any of its products. Hunting of the sand cat is also prohibited in several countries such as Niger, Iran, and Pakistan. Due to a religious belief that the sand cat was once a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, they are not hunted by Muslims as livestock raiders when they kill chickens.