Sand Cat

The sand cat is a small wild cat adapted to some of the driest desert environments on Earth, found across parts of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and Central Asia. It has thick fur on the soles of its feet that insulates its paws from hot sand and improves traction on loose ground, along with large, low-set ears that give it acute hearing to detect prey moving underground. It survives with little or no access to drinking water, obtaining most of its moisture from the small rodents, birds, and reptiles it hunts. It shelters from extreme desert temperatures by digging or enlarging burrows, remaining hidden underground during the hottest parts of the day and hunting mainly at night.