Weight- 3-7 kg. The Andean mountain cat is one of the rarest wild cats in the world. The reasons why the Andean cat is endangered are listed below: the top threat to the survival of this species is "traditional hunting". Status: Endangered … White underparts are marked with dark spots. The Andean mountain cat (Leopardus jacobita) is the only endangered cat in all of the Americas. Vital Stats: Lifespan- Unknown. Researchers believe that wild population of Andean cats does not exceed 2.500 animals. The Andean Cat Alliance (Alianza Gato Andino, or “AGA”), which operates across Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, the countries where the cat lives, has risen to this challenge. Status: Endangered with a declining population of mature individuals. This is the most positive classification under the … The harvesting of plants, on which their prey, feed has caused a decline in the numbers of their prey. It can be found only in the Andean mountains where it inhabits rocky terrains with sparse vegetation.
The declining number of the Andean mountain cats is due to reduction in numbers of their prey. The Andean Cat Alliance and the Small Cat Conservation Alliance are the two groups mainly helping this felid species. It is extremely rare, with a very small distribution. Members of AGA devote their time and energy to saving an animal that most of them may never be able to see. Photo by Jim Sanderson/Wikimedia Commons. The Andean mountain cat is one of the rarest wild cats in the world. The Andean Mountain Cat is classified as Endangered (EN) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The puma cat will eat the Andean Mountain cat. The coat is spotted and striped with blackish or brownish markings. The unforgiving climates of the Andes Mountains and Patagonia steppe, where food is scarce, is its exclusive home. The IUCN Red List categorise this small wild cat as Least Concern. So there! The entire population of the Andean Cat throughout their range is estimated to be around 1,300 cats . Andean cat is one of the rarest species of wild cats in the world.
The species has long, thick fur and a coat of a pale, silvery gray. It is 58-64 cm long or 23-25 inches, 41-48cm for its tail and weighs 4kg or 8 ¾ lbs. Andean cats are often on a target of local people due to superstition. Asked in Cats (Felines) , Endangered, Vulnerable, and Threatened Species , Andes The Andean Mountain cats look similar to a snow leopard. Its size is about the size of a house cat with a longer tail and its fur is soft and thick. The harvesting of plants, on which their prey, feed has caused a decline in the numbers of their prey. It is striped irregularly with brown or orangy markings down the sides from the back, with dark gray bars across the chest and forelegs. The feline eats mainly rodents such as viscachas and chinchillas.