Andean cat (Leopardus jacobita).
Image: Jim Sanderson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The Andean cat is a small, ashy-grey wild cat of the high Andes, one of the least-known and most threatened cats in the Americas. It is assessed as Endangered.
It has a thick coat and long banded tail suited to cold, rocky heights.
Range & habitat
High Andes and Patagonian steppe of South America.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- A naturally sparse, fragmented population
- Hunting and persecution
- Loss of prey and habitat
Why it matters
An elusive high-mountain cat tied to rocky Andean slopes and their prey, the Andean cat is a flagship for conserving South America's high-altitude ecosystems.
Sources
Sources for Andean Cat
- IUCN Red List — look up Andean Cat (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
How rare is the Andean cat?
It is one of the rarest and least-studied cats in the Americas, living at low densities across remote high-altitude terrain, which makes it hard to see and to count.
Why is the Andean cat Endangered?
Published assessments cite its sparse, fragmented population, hunting and persecution, and loss of prey and habitat. See the IUCN Red List for the current assessment.
Last updated: