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Body weights and measurements of African sand cats (Felis margarita margarita)

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Abstract

During a telemetry study, body weights and body measurements of African sand cats Felis margarita margarita were recorded in the southern provinces of Morocco between December 2015 and December 2019. In total, 41 individuals (30 males and 11 females) were captured, weighed, and the body measurements of the specimens selected for radio-collaring were recorded, with a few individuals measured in different seasons. Captured males showed higher values in all parameters measured in winter. Males weighed significantly more than females, respectively 2.16 ± 0.36 kg (N=29) and 1.70 kg ± 0.21 (N=11), and, except for ear length, which did not significantly differ between sexes, we found significant differences between males and females for every other body measurement recorded: Males have significantly longer head-and-body length, tail, neck circumference, elbow-toe-tip length, shoulder length, canines, longer and wider front paws, and longer hindfoot length than females. Differences in body weight and measurements between adult and subadult males and females are also discussed. From three recaptured individuals, we found that winter weight was on average 14% heavier than summer weight.

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Data availability

The dataset analysed during the current study is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors also thank Brahime Boupoya—for his keen involvement and adaptation to fieldwork requirements—Franck Chevalier—for his full local support—Urs and Christine Breitenmoser, Andrew Kitchener, and one anonymous reviewer—for their revision and constructive criticism of our manuscript—and Cathy Zaire for English revision.

Funding

This study was funded by the following institutions and organisations (in alphabetic order) and we are indebted to them: Association SOS Félins & Co. (FR), Big Cat Rescue (US), the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens (US), the HCEFLCD (MA), the animal keeper class of 2015/2016 from the HELHa school (BE), the International Society for Endangered Cats (CA), le Jardin Zoologique de Rabat (MA), le Jardin Zoologique de Lyon (FR), Panthera (US/FR), Parken Zoo Eskilstuna (SE), the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (UK), and Zoologischer Garten Köln Zoo (DE).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY, 10018, USA

    Grégory Breton

  2. Jardin Zoologique National de Rabat, BP 605, Annexe 23ème (Ceinture Verte), Cité Yacoub El Mansour, Rabat, Morocco

    Saâd Azizi & Mahmoud Zine Eddine

  3. Dakhla, Morocco

    Elhaj Alifal

  4. Kölner Zoo AG, Riehler Str. 173, 50735, Köln, Germany

    Alexander Sliwa

Authors
  1. Grégory Breton
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  2. Saâd Azizi
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  3. Mahmoud Zine Eddine
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  4. Elhaj Alifal
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  5. Alexander Sliwa
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Contributions

This study was designed by Alexander Sliwa and Grégory Breton. All authors physically and materially contributed in this research by conducting the fieldwork activities, including data collection. Data were analysed by Grégory Breton. The first draft of this manuscript was written by Grégory Breton and Alexander Sliwa commented on all versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final version of this article before publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Grégory Breton.

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Disclosure statement

This study was carried out with the approval of the High Commission for Water, Forests, and the Fight against Desertification of the Kingdom of Morocco (hereafter abbreviated HCEFLCD), in the frame of two partnership agreements for the conservation of wild desert carnivores, between the Rabat Zoological Park and the “Parc des Félins” zoological park, France, in 2015, and between the HCEFLCD, Rabat Zoological Park, Panthera France, and Kölner/Cologne Zoo, Germany. This study fell under the research permits No. 08/2015 of 09/03/2015, No. 08/2017 of 30/03/2017, and No. 28/2018 of 20/07/18 by the HCEFLCD.

Research involving animals

All live sand cat capture and handling techniques used by the authors complied with the highest standards of animal welfare and followed the ethical standards of the Ethical Treatment of Animals in Applied Animal Behaviour Research of the ISAE. More specifically, our methods of capture and handling did not injure or caused excessive stress to the animals and during their anaesthesia measures were taken to ensure that the animals were protected from predation and temperature drop until their recovery.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Disclaimer

Apart from the authors, the funding sources were not involved in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the preparation of the manuscript; nor the decision to submit the article for publication.

Additional information

Communicated by: Krzysztof Schmidt

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Breton, G., Azizi, S., Zine Eddine, M. et al. Body weights and measurements of African sand cats (Felis margarita margarita). Mamm Res 67, 279–285 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-022-00628-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-022-00628-4

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