YouTube Video Proves Desert Cat Found in Libya After Years of Doubt

In 2017, wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir uploaded 18 seconds of footage to YouTube showing a small, pale cat digging a hollow in the sand. He had filmed the animal in the remote dunes of southwest Libya and thought little more about it. Years later, this video would become the first material evidence that the sand cat exists in Libya at all.

The sand cat, scientifically named Felis margarita, is the only felid species adapted to true desert conditions. When Almuntasir first posted his video, people refused to believe the footage was genuine. He maintained that the cat lived in several locations across the region, including one only 70 kilometers from Zintan where he lives. Nearly a decade later, researchers now believe southwest Libya may be a significant stronghold for this elusive species.

Firas Hayder, a zoologist specializing in small carnivores at Sol Plaatje University in South Africa, reached out to Almuntasir after seeing the video. They began collaborating on a study to document the cat's presence in Libya. Hayder had reviewed every scientific source mentioning sand cats in Libya and found no coordinates or physical proof. Libya's southwest remains one of the least studied environments in North Africa, lacking protected areas, camera trap infrastructure, trained field teams, and a central authority to coordinate research efforts.

Sources: theguardian.com