Andean Mountain Cat

The Andean mountain cat is a small wild cat that lives in the Andes mountains of Peru, Bolivia, Northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina.

CLASSIFICATION

About the Andes Mountains

The Andes Mountains stretches over 5,500 miles from the southern tip of the continent to the northern coast. This grand mountain range consists of a vast series of extremely high plateaus topped by even higher peaks, creating an unbroken wall that separates a narrow western coastal area from the rest of the continent. The Andes is known for containing the highest peaks in the Western Hemisphere, with the iconic Mount Aconcagua standing tall at a breathtaking 22,831 feet on the border of Argentina and Chile.

It has been home to various indigenous communities for thousands of years, and their diverse ecosystems support a wide array of flora and fauna, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth.

Image: Andean mountain range, Peru

Interesting Andean mountain cat facts

• Considered a scared animal by the Aymara and Quechua people
• It inhabits high elevations in the Andes, from 6000 to over 13,000 feet.
• It is one of the rarest wild cats in South America.
• Has a long, busy tail with several dark rings.
• The estimated total population of Andean mountain cats is less than 2,500.

About the Andean mountain cat

Although the Andean mountain cat was first described in 1865, it was not until 1997 that ecologist and small wild cat specialist Jim Sanderson saw and photographed it. There are no subspecies.

Physical appearance

The Andean mountain cat, comparable in size to a domestic cat, appears larger due to its dense fur and elongated tail. Its coat is a pale silver or ash-gray color, with isolated spots and stripes in hazel or orange-brown. The cat’s tail and limbs are encircled with black rings. Occasionally, it is mistaken for another Andean native, the Pampas cat (Leopardus pajeros).

This cat features a black nose and lips, along with rounded ears. Adult Andean mountain cats measure between 22 and 33 inches in length, and their tails span 16 to 19 inches.

Territory (Where the Andean mountain cat lives)

Andean mountain cats live at high elevations in the Andes Mountains in four South American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru). Two other wild cats live in the Andes: the pampas cat and the puma. There have also been sightings of the cat at lower altitudes in the Mendoza province of Argentina. Generally, they prefer rocky locations above the timberline. They can also be found in mountain grasslands, shrublands, and meadows.

Hunting and prey (diet)

The prey of the Andean mountain cat is believed to be rodents, including viscacha (South American rodents that look like rabbits) and chinchillas.

Reproduction

Litters appear to consist of one to two kittens. There have been sightings of Andean mountain cats in pairs with their offspring.

Andean Mountain cat conservation

It is estimated that less than 2,500 Andean mountain cats live in the wild.

Laws that protect the Andean mountain cat include:

• Argentina: several laws and statutes that prohibit Andean mountain cat hunting and trade.
• Bolivia: a decree that bans hunting, capture, storage, and condition of wild animals and their by-products.
• Peru: a ban on hunting, trading, and possessing the Andean cat or Andean cat body parts (living and dead).
• Chile: ban on hunting all felids.

The cat is endangered due to habitat loss, agricultural growth, hunting, and reduced prey. Despite legislation protecting the cat in all four countries where it lives, the population has been steadily decreasing. Reasons for the decline include continued hunting, habitat loss, and loss of prey.

Andean mountain cats in culture

The Andean mountain cat is considered a sacred animal by the indigenous Aymara and Quechua people. Rural Chileans and Bolivians have traditionally believed that if someone encounters a mountain cat, it must be killed for spiritual power and to prevent bad luck. However,

The Aymara live in the Andes and altiplane regions of South America. The Quichua are people of South America who speak the Quechua language, which originated in Peru.

Andean mountain cat research and quotes

2010 Highland cats: ecology and conservation of the rare and elusive Andean cat | Marino, Lucherini, et al. “Clearly, Andean cats are rare in the sense that they are endemic, restricted in distribution, and rocky outcrop specialists.”