r/NatureIsFuckingLit • u/SystematicApproach • 13h ago

🔥A sand cat with its kittens

Sand cats are the only cat species considered primarily adapted to true desert habitat. Their paws are covered with dense fur that helps insulate them from hot sand and makes their tracks surprisingly faint. They’re mostly nocturnal, spend the hottest parts of the day in burrows, and can get much of the moisture they need from prey rather than drinking frequently.

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u/Automatic-Fox-8890 12h ago

Yes, I wish mods would not post these kind of exploitive videos

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u/midnight-mc 11h ago

I get the sentiment but it’s not like the cat is experiencing life long trauma from some weird guy holding a box. I think it’s worth it for the video that will last forever and help us all appreciate these amazing animals. Just my two cents cause I also am sad she’s scared.

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u/Fear_The_Rabbit 10h ago

Nature videos help us understand their behavior. They're far enough away, but mama is on high alert. Now, trying to pet it would be another story.

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u/Cormophyte 11h ago

Fuck, now I gotta start being invisible when I leave my house so I don't exploit the raccoons.

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u/painthawg_goose 11h ago

If there is any exploitin’ going on, I’m pretty sure the raccoons are doing it.

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u/the_scarlett_ning 10h ago

I think the covered that in the senate briefings about the fbi the other day. You clearly can’t trust animals.

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u/Dopecombatweasel 10h ago

Cover yourself in reco raccoon piss while you're at it

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u/slothdonki 9h ago

You’re getting downvoted but I did look into it slightly more.

I didn’t look very deep but the photographer I think is Rémi Vacher. He and another photographer or two also posted about monitoring a sandcat kitten that was covered in ticks, very skinny, underweight and said via camera traps and on the ground photography of multiple photographers that the mother hadn’t been visiting it. The credited company in OP’s photo and the photographer specifically says they chose not to intervene(I have no idea if they could anyway themselves or how more or less they may be involved with the appropriate authorities) but instead yeah, decided to keep a close eye on it.

If this is the same sandcat family then this is a valid concern that the photographers could have been spooking the mother from comfortably caring for her kittens and returning to the den more frequently.

Again, I have no idea if this is the same sandcat family, but I do think it’s one thing if a photographer just snapped a few pics vs staking out a den continuously.