‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 12:44 PM
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Not many have seen *this* cat, tbf.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 5:32 PM
Not many have seen *this* cat, tbf.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Ghost of the desert” … a sand cat in Libya. In 2017 wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir posted a YouTube video of the nocturnal feline in the Libyan Sahara, much to the surprise of naturalists, who hadn’t known it was there.
Photograph: Mohammed Almuntasir / Guardian
Photograph: Mohammed Almuntasir / Guardian
July 11, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Ghost of the desert” … a sand cat in Libya. In 2017 wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir posted a YouTube video of the nocturnal feline in the Libyan Sahara, much to the surprise of naturalists, who hadn’t known it was there.
Photograph: Mohammed Almuntasir / Guardian
Photograph: Mohammed Almuntasir / Guardian
"‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist"
"Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch"
"Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch"
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 26, 2026 at 1:07 PM
"‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist"
"Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch"
"Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch"
In 2017, Mohammed Almuntasir uploaded 18 seconds of footage to YouTube, showing a pale cat seen digging a hollow in the sand in remote dunes of south-west Libya.
It showed the sand cat (Felis margarita), the world’s only felid adapted to true desert conditions.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
It showed the sand cat (Felis margarita), the world’s only felid adapted to true desert conditions.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 25, 2026 at 11:21 AM
In 2017, Mohammed Almuntasir uploaded 18 seconds of footage to YouTube, showing a pale cat seen digging a hollow in the sand in remote dunes of south-west Libya.
It showed the sand cat (Felis margarita), the world’s only felid adapted to true desert conditions.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
It showed the sand cat (Felis margarita), the world’s only felid adapted to true desert conditions.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
This is a thoroughly excellent story about how wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir reanimated the study of wild sand cats in Libya, 'the world’s only felid adapted to true desert conditions'. #wildlife #wildlifephotography #cats #sandcat #Libya #desert
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 29, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Brace yourself for cuteness. One wildlife photographer's video prompts a research project, prompts outreach to local Tuareg people and hunters, prompts discovery that sand cats are present in Libya, and that their territory needs protection and more understanding. 🌍 #ecology #cats
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 3:41 PM
The sand cats' binomial is Felis margarita which is just very sweet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 1:27 PM
The sand cats' binomial is Felis margarita which is just very sweet. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Happy #Caturday!
What an absolute sweetheart! 😻
What an absolute sweetheart! 😻
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 27, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Happy #Caturday!
What an absolute sweetheart! 😻
What an absolute sweetheart! 😻
fanx fur ledting me noe ime egg sist. 😬
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 5:48 PM
fanx fur ledting me noe ime egg sist. 😬
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Gorgeous!
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Gorgeous!
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Important kitty news!
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Important kitty news!
#caturday
How a YouTube video accidentally proved the existence of Libya’s ‘desert ghosts’
edition.cnn.com/science/sand...
How a YouTube video accidentally proved the existence of Libya’s ‘desert ghosts’
edition.cnn.com/science/sand...
How a YouTube video accidentally proved the existence of Libya’s ‘desert ghosts’ | CNN
When photographer Mohammed Almuntasir uploaded a YouTube video showing a sand cat in Libya, it kickstarted a quest to scientifically document the feline in the country for the first time.
edition.cnn.com
July 24, 2026 at 11:21 PM
#caturday
How a YouTube video accidentally proved the existence of Libya’s ‘desert ghosts’
edition.cnn.com/science/sand...
How a YouTube video accidentally proved the existence of Libya’s ‘desert ghosts’
edition.cnn.com/science/sand...
New cat dropped 🤝
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
Wildlife photographer Mohammed Almuntasir had no idea what he had found until scientists started to get in touch
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026 at 7:45 PM
New cat dropped 🤝