Sand Cat Ufuk has departed

In the heart of Wuppertal, Germany, lives Ufuk, a solitary sand cat residing at the Green Zoo. This small wild cat species, scientifically known as Felis margarita, is a fascinating creature that thrives in desert environments, much like its natural habitat across North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Central Asia.

Ufuk, much like other sand cats, is well-camouflaged in its desert-like zoo facility, making it almost invisible. This is due to the dense fur on its paws that prevents it from sinking in the sand, as well as its quiet behaviour that makes it hard to detect at dusk.

The sand cat's elusive nature has made it challenging for researchers to study their ecology, distribution, and population size. As a result, reliable population estimates for these creatures are lacking, and an assessment of their actual threat status is difficult. In fact, in Israel, Pakistan, and Yemen, the sand cat species is likely already extinct.

Despite these challenges, the sand cat, including Ufuk, continues to be classified as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List. This is partly due to the resilience of these cats in their desert habitats and the fact that they are rarely found in human-dominated areas.

In an effort to help the species reproduce, plans are in place to introduce a female sand cat to Ufuk. This could potentially resume breeding of the sand cat species in the zoo. However, no further information about the specifics of these breeding plans has been made available.

The Green Zoo Wuppertal is home to the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni), a subspecies of the sand cat that primarily inhabits desert areas and is currently classified as "least concern" by the IUCN. Visitors to the zoo have the unique opportunity to observe this fascinating creature up close.

Despite the challenges in studying these elusive cats, field observations of sand cats are always a captivating experience. Their quiet behaviour, excellent camouflage, and lack of traces in desert sand make them a mystery worth solving. With the potential introduction of a female companion for Ufuk, we may be one step closer to understanding these fascinating creatures better.