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A camera trap recorded an Andean cat (Leopardus jacobita) in Malargüe, Mendoza, less than 10 kilometers from Argentina’s La Payunia Protected Natural Area. The May 12, 2026 report from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Argentina calls this its third consecutive year documenting an individual in the department. It is evidence that the elusive cat was present there—not a population count or proof that its numbers have grown.
What is the “ghost of the Andes”?
The “ghost of the Andes” is a nickname for the Andean cat, a wild cat whose scientific name is Leopardus jacobita. It is not a separate species. The nickname reflects how difficult the animal is to observe; WCS Argentina describes it as solitary and elusive.
WCS Argentina estimates that fewer than 2,200 Andean cats remain across the continent, in the Andes of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. That is the organization’s estimate in its 2026 report, not a new census conducted alongside this camera-trap record.
Where was the Andean cat filmed?
WCS Argentina reported that camera traps recorded one cat in Malargüe department, Mendoza province, less than 10 kilometers from the boundary of La Payunia Protected Natural Area. The organization also listed Andean cat records in Mendoza in 2024 and 2025, and in Neuquén in 2023. It described the Malargüe record as the third consecutive year it had documented an individual in the department.
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Local observations helped guide the monitoring. María José Bolgeri, a WCS Argentina biologist, said the team was watching a location based on a livestock producer’s precise account of an encounter. WCS says residents’ reports can help researchers understand the cat’s distribution and the threats it faces.
Do camera traps prove conservation is working?
Not by themselves. A camera-trap image confirms that an animal was present at a particular place and time. It does not establish how many cats live in the region, whether their population is increasing, or what caused the animal to be there.
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The record fits into a broader effort that WCS Argentina says draws on two decades of distribution work, camera trapping, local reports and engagement with livestock producers. That makes the sighting consistent with the value of sustained monitoring and cooperation, but the May 2026 release does not present a controlled analysis showing that conservation measures caused the sighting or increased the cat population.
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How do farmers protect livestock without killing wild cats?
WCS describes three nonlethal approaches intended to reduce livestock losses while avoiding the killing of native carnivores:
- Improved corrals: more secure enclosures can help protect livestock, particularly when animals are gathered at night.
- Livestock-protection dogs: dogs can deter predators from approaching herds.
- Night lights: lights can discourage predators near livestock areas.
WCS identifies livestock conflict as one threat to Andean cats, alongside road collisions, reduced availability of the cat’s principal prey (which WCS calls chinchillón), habitat degradation associated with hydrocarbon and mineral extraction, and climate-change impacts. The organization’s approach combines monitoring with producer engagement because wildlife movements and habitat extend beyond the protected-area boundary.
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Why does the area outside La Payunia matter?
A protected-area boundary does not contain every animal’s movements or every pressure on its habitat. WCS says it works with local governments, communities, livestock producers, private groups, and conservation and research organizations. Local knowledge can help identify where to monitor, while nonlethal deterrents address livestock conflict beyond the reserve itself.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFor this reason, the camera record matters most as one piece of a longer picture: it documents presence near La Payunia and underscores the role of continued observation and cooperation. It cannot, on its own, show that a particular intervention caused a conservation outcome.
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