The Sand Cat (Felis margarita) is a species of wildcat native to sandy regions of the North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. It is a very small felid at only around 5 lbs. Like the fennec fox, who also lives in the same habitat, they have large, oversized ears to help them hear very well, but also to thermoregulate their bodies. The large ears let off excess body heat, keeping them cool during the heat of the day. They are voracious hunters, and will take prey as large as desert monitors. They'll even tackle venomous snakes like desert horned vipers, and are very effective at killing them. They do all of their hunting at night, and spend the day sleeping in a den. They often live in abandoned burrows made by foxes or hares.
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