The national animal of Uzbekistan is the Turkestan sand cat. This sand cat subspecies is native to the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Pakistan and Central Asia. It is an important national symbol and was first described by a Russian zoologist in 1926. It was later considered a species of its own but is now recognized as a subspecies of sand cat.
National animals serve a variety of different symbolic functions.
You might naturally expect national animals to be universally symbols of power and liberation, such as the leopards of England or the eagle of the United States.
The truth, though, is that the sand cat is just as important a symbol in its own way.
Let’s find out more.
What is the national animal of Uzbekistan?
The national animal of Uzbekistan is the Turkestan sand cat.
You may simply say the sand cat is the national animal of Uzbekistan, since the Turkestan sand cat is not a distinct species but simply a subspecies of sand cat.
These are small wild cats that tend to live in deserts a long way from water sources.
They are light grey and sandy in color, naturally, since this gives them the best camouflage both for hiding and for hunting.
They range in length but are generally one or two feet long with low, short ears.
These ears help them to detect prey underground.
They are well protected against the alternating temperatures in the desert.
They have long hair covering the soles of their paws which protects them from the heat of the floor during the day as well as from the extremely cold temperatures at night.
Sand cats of this kind were first discovered by modern naturalism in 1858, though as mentioned were not taxonomically categorized fully until 1926.
They are found over a very large range, and have been recorded in Western Sahara and many places in Africa, as well as the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East.
They have since been exported to zoos worldwide.
They are mostly nocturnal, resting during the heat of the day and emerging from their dens to hunt at night.
They will travel as far as 3.4 miles every night hunting rodents and birds, and even snakes.
Females give birth in the spring typically to two or three young, which then mature within around a year.
Few in-depth studies of this species have been conducted, and a lot of its ecological needs are still very poorly understood by modern science.
Why, then, are they the Uzbek national animal?
Why are sand cats the national animals of Uzbekistan?
There is no single official reason that the sand cat is the Uzbek national animal.
They are not seem as symbols of grand principles in the same way that other national animals and emblems are.
They don’t feature heavily on the country’s flag or coat of arms, and are much more subtle in their symbolism than a lion or an eagle.
Interestingly, you may well get very different answers depending on who you ask this question in the Uzbek population.
Some may simply see it as an iconic native animal, representing the desert and arid areas which make up a lot of the Uzbek landscape.
Some may instead see them simply as friendly and allied animals that are important in a more personal sense.
Given that they are not much larger than domestic housecats in most cases, they are not generally seen as important symbols of anything like freedom, bravery, or national pride.
Yet at the same time they are still important national symbols as cats are in general.
So, the truth is there is no specific answer to this question.
Uzbeks may each have their own interpretation of the importance of the sand cat nationally.
Can sand cats be pets?
Sand cats can be pets, though they need special treatment and generally you cannot just take one out of the wild and take it home—both practically and legally speaking.
Since they have been widely distributed to zoos across the world there has also inevitably been demand for domestic sand cats.
There’s not really much reason to, though, beyond the simple desire to have exotic pets.
They are not much different from housecats and many breeds of housecat look just like them.
My advice, then, would be just to get a sand colored cat and leave the sand cats where they belong?
Are sand cats harmless?
Sand cats are harmless and will not attack humans unless they are cornered.
They’re elusive and hard to find in the wild so you’re very unlikely ever to find yourself in the situation that they are unable to get away without attacking you.
For the most part, all they will do is run away from you.
Like housecats, though, they of course have sharp claws and teeth, and their slightly larger size means this could really hurt. It’s unlikely, though, that they would do you any serious harm.
They are just going to draw a small amount of blood at most.
Sand cats, then, simply look like exotic domestic cats to our eyes.
They are about the right size and despite some minor differences they look just like many cats we would keep at home.
They are not aggressive to humans but at the same time keeping one as a pet is still a difficult proposition.
They are important Uzbek symbols for many reasons and one of the country’s most important animals.National Animal Of Uzbekistan