Rare sand kittens, thought to be extinct in Israel, settle into new surroundings after being born in Tel Aviv zoo

Four kittens were born 3 weeks ago at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv, an open-air zoo, but photos were only recently released



The sand cat (Felis margarita) has been listed as a 'threatened species' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature



They may be four tiny kittens, but they are a big development for Israel's wildlife.

Four sand cats, considered extinct in Israel, were born three weeks ago at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv.



The sand cat (Felis margarita) has been listed as a ‘threatened species’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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Rare: A sand kitten sits at her enclosure at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv

Motherly love: Rotem (right), a sand cat, is seen next to one of her kittens. Born 3 weeks ago at the safari park they were considered extinct in Israel

The international family consists of mother Rotem from Germany, father Sela from Poland and of course the four youngsters born in Israel.



Sand cats are true desert cats that have a high mortality rate among newborns in captivity.



But at three weeks these kittens are doing fine mainly thanks to Rotem.



Mischievous: The sand kittens will soon be available for the public to view

Protected: The sand cat (Felis margarita) has been listed as a 'threatened species' by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature

'Sand cat is an extinct species in Israel, although in the world it's not extinct, it's nearly threatened,' said Keren Or, Zoological Information Coordinator in Ramat Gan Safari Park.

'But here in Israel it has been extinct because it was pushed away from the sand by other mammals.'



The zoo is taking part in European program for breeding sand cats.

Like some other desert animals, sand cats are capable of surviving without drinking - they obtain all the water they need through their food.