The status and ecology of the sand cat in the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Protected Area, Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia

The sand cat is one of the world’s least studied small cats. Our camera-trap survey, one of the largest undertaken in a desert system, generated over 1500 images of the species across 100 camera-traps distributed systematically over the 2400 km2 core area of the Uruq Bani Ma’arid Protected Area of the Empty Quarter, Saudi Arabia. The study revealed a much more significant and widespread sand cat population in the ecosystem than previously understood. Sand cats were detected across one-third of the core area in all major habitats, comprising escarpment plateau, sand dunes and interdunal gravel valleys. The species showed a marginal preference for the interior parallel dune system with interspersed gravel valleys where they also preferred sand dunes over the gravel valley in the hot season. There was no evidence of strong spatial interactions with other predators. The ecosystem’s larger predators (Arabian red fox and honey badger, and all records of wild and feral cats) were primarily associated with the escarpment plateau. The smaller Rueppell’s fox was the only other carnivore more consistently present in the main dune system. Sand cats were strictly nocturnal and 14% more active in the hot season than the cool season.

Insights into the feeding ecology of and threats to Sand Cat Felis margarita Loche, 1858 (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae) in the Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan

Little is known about the ecology of the Sand Cat Felis margarita throughout its range in the deserts of northern Africa to central Asia. We present observations of the Sand Cat in the southern Kyzylkum Desert, Uzbekistan, potentially preying upon a large bird and returning to the kill on subsequent nights. This record contributes to the knowledge about the feeding ecology and varied diet of the Sand Cat and its opportunistic hunting strategy.

102 Sperm cryopreservation with a soy lecithin-based medium in black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) and sand cats (Felis margarita)

Felid semen has historically been frozen using an egg yolk-based cryopreservation medium (TEY). However, the use of egg introduces several potential concerns, such as variability in composition, microbial contamination, and regulatory issues. Our recent research has focused on developing an animal protein-free medium containing soy lecithin (SOY). Our studies revealed that SOY was superior to TEY for freezing domestic cat sperm and provided similar results for freezing ocelot, Pallas’ cat, and fishing cat sperm. The objective of this study was to compare SOY to the standard TEY for sperm cryopreservation in 2 wild cat species: the black-footed cat and sand cat. Semen was collected from adult male cats (n=6/species) via electroejaculation, split into 2 aliquots, centrifuged, resuspended in either SOY or TEY, slow-cooled, and frozen in straws over nitrogen vapor. Sperm motility [percent progressively motile (PPM); rate of progressive motility on 0-5 scale (RPM)] was evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 24h post-thaw and acrosome status (AC) was assessed at 0 and 6h post-thaw. Heterologous IVF was performed using oocytes collected laparoscopically from gonadotropin-treated domestic cats. At 48h post-insemination, Hoechst33342 staining was used to determine oocyte stage, number of blastomeres, and number of accessory sperm (AS) bound to the zona pellucida of embryos and mature oocytes. Percent progressively motile, RPM, and AC were analysed with repeated-measures ANOVA; embryo cleavage, blastomere number, and AS number were analysed with one-way ANOVA. All data are reported as least squares means±average standard error. In the black-footed cat, PPM, RPM, and AC of SOY-treated sperm (32.5±4.0% motile, 2.8±0.2 RPM, 41.8±4.1% intact; 0h) did not differ from TEY-treated sperm (44.2±4.0% motile, 2.8±0.2 RPM, 46.8±4.1% intact; 0h) at any post-thaw time point (P > 0.05). Similarly, in the sand cat, post-thaw PPM, RPM, and AC of SOY-treated sperm (36.7±5.2% motile, 2.6±0.2 progression, 53.3±5.8% intact; 0h) did not differ from TEY-treated sperm (45.8±5.2% motile, 2.8±0.2 RPM, 51.0±5.8% intact; 0h) at any time point (P > 0.05). In black-footed cats, neither embryo cleavage (34.1±10.9% SOY; 58.5±10.9% TEY), blastomere number (7.8±0.8 SOY; 6.3±0.8 TEY), nor AS (3.5±0.8 SOY; 1.7±0.8 TEY) differed between treatments (P > 0.05). Sand cat results were similar, with no difference between SOY and TEY for cleavage (44.7±10.8% SOY; 40.6±10.8% TEY) or blastomere number (7.4±2.0 SOY; 6.7±2.0 TEY) (P > 0.05), but AS was higher in SOY-treated sperm (4.3±0.2 SOY; 3.5±0.2 TEY, P=0.0183). These data collectively demonstrate that our SOY medium was an effective substitute to TEY for sperm cryopreservation in the black-footed cat and sand cat. The replacement of an egg yolk-based cryomedium with a chemically defined, animal protein-free alternative represents a significant advance in quality control and biosecurity for felid semen banking and should augment the use of assisted reproduction for population management of imperiled cats. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Practical application of laparoscopic oviductal artificial insemination for the propagation of domestic cats and wild felids

AI was first reported in cats almost 50 years ago but, unlike AI in other domesticated animals (e.g. dogs, cattle, horses), has not been widely used for routine propagation by veterinarians or breeders. Anatomical and physiological challenges with cats have hindered the efficiency of AI using standardised transcervical approaches applied to other species. Development of laparoscopic oviductal AI (LO-AI) has helped overcome some of these barriers and, during the past 7 years, produced high pregnancy percentages (>70%) in domestic cats using both fresh collected and frozen–thawed semen and resulted in the birth of full-term offspring in three cat hereditary disease models and six wild cat species (ocelot, Pallas’s cat, fishing cat, sand cat, tiger, clouded leopard). The standard approach involves exogenous gonadotrophin treatment (typically equine chorionic gonadotrophin followed by porcine LH) to induce ovarian follicular growth and ovulation, with laparoscopic visualisation of the oviductal ostium for direct intraluminal insemination with low numbers of spermatozoa. Similar ovarian synchronisation and insemination approaches have been used with wild felids, but frequently must be refined on a species-by-species basis. From a practical perspective, LO-AI in domestic cats now has adequate efficiency for applied use as a reproductive service in veterinary practices that possess basic laparoscopy expertise.