{"id":6292,"date":"2020-04-08T06:52:07","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T11:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.birdingcadiz.com\/?p=6292"},"modified":"2024-03-26T12:52:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T12:52:38","slug":"private-wildlife-tour-western-sahara-sand-cat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/blog\/private-wildlife-tour-western-sahara-sand-cat\/","title":{"rendered":"Private Wildlife Tour: Sand Cat in the Western Sahara"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1164.jpg\" alt=\"Pharaoh Eagle-Owl. Photography by Javi Elorriaga, Birding The Strait.\" class=\"wp-image-6293\"\/><figcaption><em>During the nocturnal outings in this tour we had several encounters with the magnificent Pharaoh Eage Owl. This individual was photographed during the scouting prior to the tour.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Between the 14th and the 20th of February we ran our second back-to-back tour to the Western Sahara in 2020. This time, it was a private tour for two clients. Following our success in 2019, our main target was to observe the rare&nbsp;<strong>Sand Cat<\/strong>. This way, we arranged the logistics and the itinerary to explore remote regions and optimize the effort spent in nocturnal spotlighting. For a change, this was not a birding trip! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We did find the cat! Moreover, we came upon some other totally unexpected highlights, including the very elusive&nbsp;<strong>Honey Badger<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post we summarize the itinerary, logistics and the wildlife highlights of the trip, including a selection of pictures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Itinerary: In search of the Sand Cat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As usual, the tour started in&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>. Following the late arrival of the clients in a flight from England via&nbsp;<em>Casablanca<\/em>&nbsp;on the 13th, on the 14th we had an easy start. We departed from the hotel in Dakhla after lunch and took the road to&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>. &nbsp;Halfway to Aousserd, we set our desert campsite. We spent two nights here and conducted two spotlighting sessions, including the&nbsp;<em>Bougouffa Trail<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On day 3 we moved to Aousserd. Here we spent the following two nights.&nbsp; We carried out two further spotlighting sessions off-roading in&nbsp;<em>Laglat<\/em>,&nbsp;<em>Derraman<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Oued Jenna<\/em>. In addition, we spotlighted along the&nbsp;<em>Aousserd-Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/Aousserd-Road-1024x641.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6446\"\/><figcaption><em>The famous Dakhla-Aousserd road. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On Day 5 we drove back to&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;at an easy pace. This included stops at&nbsp;<em>Oued Jenna<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Gleib Jeidane<\/em>. The&nbsp;<em>Bay of Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;made our base for the last two nights. We carried out the last spotlighting session along the&nbsp;<em>Bir-Anzarane<\/em>&nbsp;road. On Day 6 we relaxed and birded around the hotel. In the&nbsp;afternoon we sailed off the bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trip ended on day 7, with an early morning flight to&nbsp;<em>England<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Spain<\/em>&nbsp;via&nbsp;<em>Casablanca.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/d\/embed?mid=117OYCKgyevMDFrgQK3a9uBG2lZDG40gU\" width=\"900\" height=\"541\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In total, we drove about 1400km, approximately one quarter of them off-roading.&nbsp; We invested around 25 hours in nocturnal spotlighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Logistics: Western Sahara<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\n\nWe hired the services of a local team including: two expert local guides and drivers, a camp keeper and a cook.\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Accommodation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During the three nights we spent in&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;we stayed at&nbsp;<em>Dakhla Attitude Hotel<\/em>. This resort, oriented to water sports, is placed in the northern limit of the bay. It offers great views of the inner bay and good birding possibilities, when not packed with kite surfers. Moreover, its gardens create an oasis effect attracting migrant and wintering birds. In our first visit to the area in 2016 we already highlighted the potential of the resort to attract birds in a desert context. Remarkably, in February 2017 the second&nbsp;<strong>White-throated Bee-eater<\/strong>&nbsp;for the Western Paleartic was found here. During our stay in 2020 we found two&nbsp;<strong>Olive-backed Pipits<\/strong>&nbsp;!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We set a desert camp in a forest oued, half-way between&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;and Ao<em>usserd<\/em>. This way, we minimized the driving distance to some of the spotlighting hotspots. We used&nbsp; portable and spacious&nbsp;<em>Saharawi<\/em>&nbsp;\u201c<em>Khaima<\/em>\u201d tents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/IMG_20200216_110857.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6420\"\/><figcaption><em>Ambiende in the Desert Camp.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While in&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>, we stayed at a private home.&nbsp;This was a basic but very convenient building, entirely at our disposal. Here we had access to electricity, hot water, toilets, kitchen and private rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transport<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We used two 4\u00d74 vehicles. Both were fully equipped with spotlights, water and petrol reservoirs, and all the necessary gear to explore the desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/IMG_20200216_124321.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6449\"\/><figcaption><em>One of the two cars we used, fully equipped to explore the desert.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For sailing off the bay, we hired a private three hours excursion in a catamaran with a local company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sand Cat, Honey Badger and more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day one<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Halfway between&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;and the desert camp, we visited the famous water tank of&nbsp;<em>Tachektent<\/em>&nbsp;(Aka&nbsp;<em>Gleib Jeidanne<\/em>). We easily found our two main targets: the&nbsp;<strong>African Green Toad<\/strong>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<strong>Mediterranean Chameleon<\/strong>. The first is the only amphibian in the region. The second reaches here the southernmost limit of its range. The reptile was probably profiting from the large concentration of&nbsp;<strong>Vagrant Emperors&nbsp;<\/strong>perched on the Tamarisks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1625-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6433\"\/><figcaption><em> A Mediterranean Chameleon in the Western Sahara, always great to see. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In our first spotlighting session we explored the&nbsp;<em>Bougouffa Trail<\/em>&nbsp;off-road. We found up to eight&nbsp;<strong>Maghreb Hares<\/strong>&nbsp;and numerous&nbsp;<strong>Lesser Egyptian Gerboas<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Lesser Egyptian Gerbils<\/strong>. We also got the first&nbsp;<strong>Fennec<\/strong>&nbsp;of the trip. After this, we headed to an area with scattered Acacias. In some of the trees we came through an unexpected group of 50+&nbsp;<strong>Black Kites<\/strong>&nbsp;gathering in a communal roost. These were birds in northbound migration to their European breeding grounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The African Wild Cat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Suddenly, the beam of our torches unveiled the presence of a mammal partially hidden at the base of an Acacia. Luckily, it walked calmly and we could reliably identify it as an&nbsp;<strong>African Wild Cat<\/strong>. Indeed, the cheetah-fashion walk is characteristic of the species. It rapidly disappeared. We, therefore, got off the cars and inspected the surroundings on foot. Luckily, we relocated it thanks to the glow of its eyes. It was hidden, immobile, lying on the sand under a bush. We steadily approached it. Amazingly, the cat kept immobile, relying on it camouflage skills. For over 15 minutes we enjoyed the scene, until it just decided to disappear in the darkness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn\u00b4t the Sand Cat, but at this point, we knew we had experienced one of the greatest moments of the trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1214.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6423\"\/><figcaption><em>African Wild Cat showing its characteristic slightly tufted ears. This encounter was one of the highlights of the trip.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Probably prompted by the warm temperatures and calm wind, at a certain point of the night, hundreds of moths approached our spotlights. We suffered a real invasion!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/IMG_20200215_001619.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6424\"\/><figcaption><em>Playing with the camera, the moths and the spotlights. One of the most common identifiable species was the Stripped Hawk-moth.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On our way back to the camp we found a&nbsp;<strong>R\u00fcppell\u00b4s Fox<\/strong>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<strong>Fat-tailed Gerbil<\/strong>, along with more&nbsp;<strong>Maghreb Hares<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Lesser Egyptian Gerboas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1242-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6434\"\/><figcaption><em>This was the only Fat-tailed Gerbil we found during the tour.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day two<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During the day, we cached up with sleep and relaxed around the camp. Bird activity was rather slow. However, we got decent views of: two&nbsp;<strong>Lanners<\/strong>, a group of&nbsp;<strong>Fulvous Babblers<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Greater Hoopoe Larks<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Cream-coloured Coursers<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Spectacled Warblers , Desert Wheatears, Bar-tailed Lark&nbsp;<\/strong>and the inquisitive<strong>&nbsp;Desert Grey Shrikes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1308.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6427\"\/><figcaption><em>The sunset marked the begining of the most intense activity of the trip, off-road nocturnal spotlighting.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the second spotlighting session of the trip we explored the surrounding of the camp. We patrolled off-road the ecotone between sand dunes and a the forested oued. Next, we spotlighted along the road. The night turned out comparatively shorter and less productive. As usual, the first mammals we found were&nbsp;<strong>Maghreb Hares<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Lesser Egyptian Gerboas<\/strong>. Furthermore, we found a&nbsp;<strong>Long-legged Buzzard<\/strong>&nbsp;and yet another group of&nbsp;<strong>Black Kites<\/strong>&nbsp;roosting atop the Acacias. Once in the asphalt, we found a&nbsp;<strong>Fennec<\/strong>&nbsp;sheltering in a shallow depression in the sand. We thought that this particular individual showed especially pale coat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A0746.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6428\"\/><figcaption><em>A Fennec fox photographed during the scouting prior to this trip. The reflection of the beam of the spotlights on the eyes of the mammals was often the first sign of their presence.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We found no signs of cats, except for some distant glimpses of suspicious unidentified signing eyes\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in the camp we found a rather impressive&nbsp;<strong>Arrowbreasted Scorpion<\/strong>. We were pleased with this finding, except for the fact that it was right next to our tents!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day three<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As usual in this trip, we had an easy first half of the day. Hanging around the camp site, we found all the usual species we had in previous days. A&nbsp;<strong>White-spotted Wall-Gecko&nbsp;<\/strong>was a new find here. After lunch, we left the camp and headed towards our next base in&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>. We reached our accommodation in the early afternoon. We had time to relax before our next nocturnal outing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the late afternoon, up to 110&nbsp;<strong>Brown-necked Ravens<\/strong>&nbsp;gathered together in an empty lot next to our home. Despite the effort, we did never get to understand what did attracted them there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A0782.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6429\"\/><figcaption> <em>White-spotted Wall Gecko. It was among the most common Tarentola species in the region.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On the third spotlighting session we explored south of the&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>&nbsp;road, mostly off-road. We intensively scanned a region with optimal habitat for the&nbsp;<strong>Sand Cat<\/strong>: sandy soil with sparse vegetation. Indeed, we knew of recent records in the area. In our quest we found a&nbsp;<strong>Pharaoh Eagle Owl<\/strong>&nbsp;on the ground. We watched it in detail through the scope. It was surprising to observe how skilled it was running. A bit further, we came through a&nbsp;<strong>R\u00fcppell\u00b4s Fox,<\/strong>&nbsp;which we had to follow for a while before we could reliably identify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Honey Badger!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, we faced a rather long period with no remarkable sightings. However, our perseverance was greatly rewarded when a gorgeous&nbsp;<strong>Honey Badger<\/strong>&nbsp;showed up.&nbsp; Right next to us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to remark here that, over the last decades, there have been&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/biomeecology.com\/nature\/mammals\/2016\/04\/honey-badgers-western-sahara-first-record-25-years\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">only a handful of documented records<\/a>&nbsp;for the species in the region. Indeed, very little is known about its ecology and distribution north of the Sahara (<a href=\"https:\/\/biomeecology.com\/nature\/mammals\/2016\/04\/honey-badgers-western-sahara-first-record-25-years\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cherkaoui and Bouajaja, 2017<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1345.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6430\"\/><figcaption><em>We had an amazing and unexpected encounter with this Honey Badger. Its powerful front feet and long claws for digging lizards out of their burrows are clearly visible. As we approached the badger, it lifted its tails as a warning, presenting us its anal sacs.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-2818\/12\/2\/59\/htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A recent study in Morocco<\/a>&nbsp;showed that&nbsp;<strong>Spiny-tailed Lizards<\/strong>&nbsp;make up to two thirds of its diet. The authors concluded that&nbsp;<strong>Honey Badgers&nbsp;<\/strong>behave as a trophic specialist in the Sahara. This is probably thanks to exclusive anatomical adaptations for digging their prey out of their burrows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is curious to note that&nbsp; the black and white pattern of the&nbsp;<strong>Honey Badger<\/strong>&nbsp;is a warning coloration (also known as aposematic) advertising not only the extreme ferocity of the species, but also its capacity to produce noxious secretions with anal sacs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We kept track of the badger for about 10 intense minutes before it disappeared in the vast plains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To our knowledge, the ones we got are the only available pictures of a wild&nbsp;<strong>Honey Badger<\/strong>&nbsp;alive in the Maghreb region, except for those got by means of camera-trapping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in the asphalt road, already in our way back to<em>&nbsp;Aousserd,&nbsp;<\/em>we got yet another rewarding encounter. This was about nothing less than a much-anticipated&nbsp;<strong>Horned Viper<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1367nombre.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6431\"\/><figcaption> <em>This mighty juvenile Horned Viper was taking advantage of the residual heat in hot asphalt by night.<\/em>  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After an exciting photography session, we retrieved the snake from the road and resumed our way back home, where we reached shortly before 4 AM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day four<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In our second day in&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>, we accidentally found a colony of&nbsp;<strong>Lesser Mouse-tailed Bats&nbsp;<\/strong>within an abandoned building. We counted over 50 individuals. However, we&nbsp; didn\u2019t inspect other occupied rooms in order to avoid disturbance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1407.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6432\"\/><figcaption> <em>Lesser Mouse-tailed Bats in Aousserd.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Every now and them, we saw small groups of&nbsp;<strong>Black Kites<\/strong>&nbsp;in active northbound migration over the village. A&nbsp;<strong>White-crowned Wheatear<\/strong>&nbsp;and a pair of&nbsp;<strong>Desert Sparrows<\/strong>&nbsp;visiting the window of our living room was great joy too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today we had an early supper consisting of a&nbsp;<em>Harira<\/em>&nbsp;soup, a Moroccan speciality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We left&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>&nbsp;in the late afternoon and reached&nbsp;<em>Derraman<\/em>&nbsp;area well before sunset. Here, we were welcomed by a pair or&nbsp;<strong>Lanners<\/strong>. These offered a nice display, both in flight and perched. Several&nbsp;<strong>Pale Rock Martins<\/strong>&nbsp;flew by along the cliffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1325.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6435\"\/><figcaption> <em>Pale Rock Martin, another birding speciality in the Aousserd region.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We strolled around enjoying a magnificent scenery with black rock outcrops emerging from the dunes in a vast unspoiled pre-Sahelian landscape. Remarkably, the&nbsp;<em>Western Sahara<\/em>&nbsp;is one of the most sparsely populated regions of the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/IMG_20200211_004152_409.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6450\"\/><figcaption> <em>Sunset in Derraman, near Aousserd. A typical pre-Sahelian landscape<\/em>, home of the Sand Cat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After sunset, we continued for our fourth spotlighting session. First, we explored the&nbsp;<em>Derraman<\/em>&nbsp;area where we spotted&nbsp; a&nbsp;<strong>R\u00fcppell\u00b4s Fox<\/strong>&nbsp;and several,&nbsp;<strong>Hares<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Gerboas<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Gerbils<\/strong>. In this rocky area, we found a remarkable density of Geckos. This included&nbsp;<strong>Petrier\u00b4s Sand Gecko<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>White-spotted Wall Gecko<\/strong>.&nbsp;Back in the asphalt we came through a&nbsp;<strong>Diadem Sand Snake<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1191.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6436\"\/><figcaption> <em>Lesser Egyptian Gerboa was the most abundant mammal we found. Some individuals did really perform well for our cameras.<\/em> This is probably an important part in the diet of the Sand Cat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1178.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6437\"\/><figcaption> <em>The Petrier\u00b4s Sand Gecko is a tiny species adapted to desert environments.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1435.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6438\"\/><figcaption> <em>Diadem Sand Snake on the Aousserd road.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day five<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Today we left&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>&nbsp;to return to&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>. In the outskirts of&nbsp;<em>Aousserd<\/em>&nbsp;we found abundant&nbsp;<strong>Sudan Spiny-tailed Lizards<\/strong>. We spend some time trying to approach and photograph these impressive reptiles. In doing so, a group of&nbsp;<strong>Dunn\u00b4s Larks<\/strong>&nbsp;joined in the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1447.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6439\"\/><figcaption> <em>A Sudan Spiny-tailed Lizard by its burrow, near Aousserd<\/em>. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1522-Recovered.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6440\"\/><figcaption> <em>The Dunn\u00b4s Lark is one of the birding specialities in the Aousserd region.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In our next stop, Javi retrieved a camera trap he has been using over the last weeks in the area.&nbsp;<strong>Fennec<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>R\u00fcppell\u00b4s<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>Fox<\/strong>and a&nbsp;<strong>Camel (!?)<\/strong>&nbsp;where among the most remarkable footage it recorded. This has to be added to the Desert Hedgehog and the African Golden Wolf got on previous weeks. Not bad at all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/d5oSWWWJcug\" width=\"900\" height=\"541\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Before reaching&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>, we revisited&nbsp;<em>Gleib Jeidane<\/em>. Here we found a&nbsp;<strong>Mediterranean Chameleon<\/strong>&nbsp;again. In addition, we spent some time trying to photograph&nbsp;<strong>Trumpeter Finches<\/strong>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<strong>Desert Grey Shrike<\/strong>&nbsp; as they approached the water. 45 minutes later we reached our hotel in the bay of&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>. We accommodated in our rooms and had some rest before dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1602-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6441\"\/><figcaption> <em>Brown-necked Raven on a Camel near Dakhla.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After sunset, we hit the road again towards the nearby&nbsp;<em>Bir Anzaranne<\/em>&nbsp;road for the last spotlighting session of the trip. Our first stop was by a water hole. Here we found a&nbsp;<strong>R\u00fcppell\u00b4s Fox<\/strong>&nbsp;drinking. Some 30km later we found a second&nbsp;<strong>R\u00fcppell\u00b4s<\/strong>. This time it was lying on the ground, sheltered by a bush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Sand Cat!<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Not far, we detected a suspicious pair of signing eyes. We kept track of it until it showed its whole body. Bingo! there it was, a&nbsp;<strong>Sand Cat!<\/strong>&nbsp;We saw it at medium distance (90m approx.). At first, it fixed its gaze on us and stayed immobile. Then, it relaxed and kept foraging. However, it still turned its head towards us from time to time. We got off the vehicle and approached the cat on foot. This way, we got a brief but better view of its short-legged structure and ringed tail-tip. After a few minutes of observation, the <strong>Sand Cat<\/strong> walked away to disappear behind the slope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, we couldn\u00b4t get any pictures, but there it was! After many hours of intense nocturnal search, we got convincing views of the elusive creature!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having delivered the corresponding congratulations, we resumed our way. Amazingly, a few kilometres after we connected with a second&nbsp;<strong>Sand Cat<\/strong>, which offered a similar show!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gratified with our <strong>Sand Cat<\/strong> in the pocket, we decided to call it a day and drive back to the hotel, shortly after midnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Day six<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During the morning we relaxed around the hotel. Surprisingly, Javi found not one but two&nbsp;<strong>Olive-backed Pipits<\/strong>&nbsp;right at the doorstep of his bungalow! According to the existing information, this was only the third record in the&nbsp;<em>Western Sahara<\/em>. The Siberian Vagrants did totally eclipse the presence of abundant&nbsp;<strong>Black Wheatears<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Painted Ladies<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>Vagrant Emperors<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/44A1660.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6442\"\/><figcaption> <em>Olive-backed Pipits, vagrants from Siberia, in the northern limit of the Bay of Dakhla<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sailing off Dakhla<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In the afternoon, we went sailing off&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>. We organized a 3-hours private sailing excursion to explore the inner part of the bay. Our main target here was the&nbsp;<em>Critically Endangered<\/em>&nbsp;<strong>Atlantic Humpback Dolphins<\/strong>. Nowadays, the bay of<em>Dakhla<\/em>&nbsp;constitutes the northernmost limit of the species distribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, we had a very windy day and choppy sea. This frustrated our chances to find the dolphins. We did, however, enjoy a smooth and most enjoyable sailing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In terms of birding, we came through some nice species including: a single&nbsp;<strong>African Royal Tern<\/strong>, numerous&nbsp;<strong>Caspian Terns<\/strong>,&nbsp;<strong>Gannets<\/strong>&nbsp;fishing, some big groups of&nbsp;<strong>Bar-tailed Godwits, Great Cormorants&nbsp;<\/strong>of the lucidus\/marocanus subspecies and one&nbsp;<strong>Osprey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/IMG_20200219_171745.jpg\" alt=\"Sailing off Dakhla - Birding The Strait\" class=\"wp-image-6445\"\/><figcaption><em>Javi sailing off the Bay of Dakhla<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We returned to the hotel in the late afternoon, with time for packing our luggage before dinner. Next morning, we had an early departure from the nearby airport of&nbsp;<em>Dakhla<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recommended bibliography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several recent publications which greatly enhance the knowledge on the Moroccan and Western Sahara wildlife. We have used them and we do eagerly recommend it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/Untitled-1-1024x464.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6443\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>Amphibians and Reptiles of Morocco<\/em>. 2019. Mart\u00ednez del Marmol,&nbsp;<em>et al<\/em>. Edition Chimaira<\/li><li><em>Oiseaux du Sahara Atlantique Marocain<\/em>. 2017.&nbsp;Bergier, P., Th\u00e9venot, M. and&nbsp; Abdeljebbar Qninba.<\/li><li><em>Mammiferes Sauvages du Maroc<\/em>. Peuplement, Repartition, Ecologie. 2017. Aulagnier et al. 2017.&nbsp;Societe Frencaise por L\u00e9tude et la protection des mammiferes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our previous trips to the Western Sahara<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out the following links to read the trip reports of our previous visits to the Western Sahara. These trips were primarily focused on birding. The reports include a varied selection of photos, including the<strong> Sand Cat<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Birding Trip to the Western Sahara, February 2016 \u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.birdingthestrait.com\/blog\/full-dakhla-trip-report-can-be-found-here-httpgoo-glo9lna1-birding-sahara\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trip Report by Yeray Seminario and Javi Elorriaga<\/a><\/li><li>Birding Trip to the Western Sahara, January 2019 \u2013&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.birdingthestrait.com\/blog\/birding-trip-to-the-western-sahara\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trip Report by Yeray Seminario and Javi Elorriaga.&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/04\/IMG_20200209_195142-1024x380.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6448\" width=\"580\" height=\"215\"\/><figcaption><em>Off-roading near Aousserd<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Acknowledgements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We want to express our most sincere gratitude to Martina Milanese and Nicolo Calcagno and their team: Sidi, Amina and Sara. Thanks to them we safely visited remote regions of the Western Sahara and enjoyed its wildlife, including the <strong>Sand Cat<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Between the 14th and the 20th of February we ran our second back-to-back tour to the Western Sahara in 2020. This time, it was a private tour for two clients. Following our success in 2019, our main target was to observe the rare&nbsp;Sand Cat. This way, we arranged the logistics and the itinerary to explore [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Private Wildlife Tour: Sand Cat in the Western Sahara - Birding the Strait<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/birdingthestrait.com\/blog\/private-wildlife-tour-western-sahara-sand-cat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Private Wildlife Tour: Sand Cat in the Western Sahara - Birding the Strait\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Between the 14th and the 20th of February we ran our second back-to-back tour to the Western Sahara in 2020. 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