Sand Cat GPS Tracking Enables Global Insights Into Desert Ecosystem Conservation

Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has fitted and recovered GPS collars from six sand cats, delivering the first successful global use of this technology on the species. Combined with genetic analysis, the research has generated the most detailed dataset so far for Felis margarita, helping clarify subspecies classification and informing conservation planning across the desert landscapes of Saudi Arabia and wider regions.

The project, carried out with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s WildGenes laboratory, produced a high-quality reference genome and fresh insight into population structure. These data support recent research suggesting the sand cat likely consists of two subspecies, not four. This refinement has implications for managing populations that range from North Africa through Southwest Asia into Central Asia.

Reserve ecologists safely captured three male and three female sand cats, following Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee standards. Experienced veterinarians assessed each animal before fitting custom lightweight GPS collars, each weighing under 3% of body mass. A timed release system allowed each collar to detach after about three months, so devices could be retrieved and reused while limiting disturbance.

Because sand cats are mainly active at night, the collars were programmed to record locations every two hours between 18:00 and 06:00. Across 635 monitoring nights, the system produced over 3,000 GPS points. These data revealed home range size, den locations, habitat preferences, and how individual animals interact, offering new detail on behaviour in harsh desert environments.

Senior Ecologist Josh Smithson said: "Historically, sand cat research has been hindered by the species’ small size and reliance on VHF technology, which is both labor-intensive and provides less data than modern systems. We worked with global telemetry experts to develop the first GPS collar light enough to be fitted to sand cats without impairing their activity, weighing just 50g. By pairing detailed movement data with genetic sampling from the same animals, we are significantly advancing global understanding of the species and its conservation needs."

The reserve team has already created an upgraded collar with capacity for a second battery and a controlled drop-off unit, extending deployment time. Monitoring continues through rangers, ecologists and camera traps at den sites. Tracking tools are now applied across land, air and sea, studying species such as griffon vultures in the Middle East, and hawksbill and green turtles in the Red Sea, alongside desert sand cats.

Sand cat conservation, ecology and desert adaptations

The sand cat is the only wild feline that lives solely in desert habitats year-round, enduring very hot, dry conditions. Fur on the soles of the paws allows movement across scorching dunes without tracks, while the species obtains sufficient moisture from prey. Large, radar-like ears detect low-frequency sounds from rodents, reptiles and insects hidden beneath the sand surface in arid terrains.

In Bedouin stories, sand cats are called the "ghost of the desert." This name reflects both their secretive behaviour and special eye-shine avoidance. When exposed to light, individuals crouch low and close their eyes, reducing reflection from the tapetum lucidum and hiding their position. These traits help explain why, despite a wide range, data on the species remain limited.

Sand cat conservation, ecosystem role and regional restoration

Globally, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the sand cat as Least Concern, though information gaps persist across its range. The species is considered an indicator for arid ecosystems. Tracking movements, habitat use and genetic diversity helps reveal prey levels, landscape connectivity and overall ecological function across restored desert zones in Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve.

Reserve CEO Andrew Zaloumis said, "Sand cats are the 'ghosts of the desert,' moving unseen across the sand. Yet it is science, driven by real-time data, that reveals when sand cats thrive, signaling that plants, prey, and predators are functioning in balance. By understanding the smallest desert cat, we rebuild the foundations for the largest. Only when science confirms the land is ready can great carnivores like the Asiatic cheetah and the leopard return to Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve."

The reserve’s wider tracking programme supports its restoration mission and scientific goals in Saudi Arabia and the region. To date, eight peer-reviewed papers have been published, and datasets are shared with international researchers. As climate change and desertification progress, the sand cat is viewed as a key measure of whether biodiversity can continue in extreme, shifting desert conditions.

With inputs from SPA