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Andean cats (Leopardus jacobita) live in scattered pockets of cold, dry, rocky habitat across the high Andes of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru, with a southern extension into Argentina’s northern Patagonian steppe. Their main threats include habitat disruption from mining, roads and water use, alongside hunting, prey decline, dog attacks and climate change. The species is classified as Endangered, but its population is difficult to count and several pressures remain incompletely understood.

Where Andean cats live

The Andean cat’s range spans four countries along the Andes: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It also extends into the northern Patagonian steppe in Argentina. The species does not occupy the entire mountain chain as a continuous population. Its distribution is sparse and patchy, partly because suitable rocky habitat occurs in naturally separated areas. The IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group describes the species as occurring at low densities in fragmented rocky habitats.

New records can fill apparent gaps in what is known about the range. A 2022 study documented additional Andean cat records in the central Andes of Chile, showing that an absence of records in an area does not necessarily prove the cat is absent there.

What habitat Andean cats use

Andean cats are associated with cold, dry, sparsely vegetated landscapes, typically with steep, rocky terrain, low precipitation and large temperature swings. Their habitat is high-elevation, but there is no single elevation cutoff that defines the species’ full range.

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The IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group reports an average elevation of about 4,236 metres in Argentina, records above 3,800 metres in Bolivia, and Chilean records between 3,714 and 4,414 metres. These are country-specific observations, not universal minimum and maximum limits.

Threats facing Andean cats

Pressures vary by location and can compound one another. For example, roads or extraction projects can break up rocky habitat while also increasing human access to remote areas; water extraction and contamination are especially consequential in arid high-Andean environments.

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Mining, roads and other habitat disturbance

Mining and other resource extraction, road construction and use, oil and petroleum activity, agricultural expansion, water extraction and contamination can degrade or fragment habitat. Some livestock practices can also affect habitat and increase conflict. The significance of each pressure differs across the range, so it is not accurate to rank them identically in every country.

Hunting and persecution

Andean cats may be hunted for traditional uses or killed in retaliation where people perceive them as a threat to livestock. These circumstances and local attitudes vary; the pressure should not be taken to mean that all communities view the cat in the same way.

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Declining prey

Mountain viscachas are an important part of the Andean cat’s diet. Hunting of prey can reduce local food availability and contribute to greater isolation among already scattered cat populations. The IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group also notes a historical decline in short-tailed chinchilla prey.

Domestic dogs and disease

Domestic dogs can kill Andean cats and may transmit disease. However, the actual effect of pathogens on Andean cat populations is not known: studies of disease impacts are limited.

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Climate change

Climate projections suggest that suitable conditions could shift toward higher elevations across much of the cat’s range. A 2017 modeling study projected geographic differences in vulnerability and a 46% decline in areas where Andean cats and mountain viscachas overlap under its future scenarios. That figure is a model output, not an observed decline or a forecast that applies uniformly to every location.

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Conservation status and population estimates

The IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group identifies the Andean cat as Endangered. Its 2024 account gives an estimate of fewer than 2,500 mature individuals globally and says the largest subpopulation has fewer than 250 mature individuals. The account describes continuing decline as inferred; these figures are estimates, not the results of a precise current census.

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How conservation efforts respond

The Andean Cat Alliance is a multinational, interdisciplinary network founded in 1999 by conservation professionals from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. It coordinates work for the cat and its habitat across those countries.

Actions described by the IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group include supporting coexistence with local communities and alternative income, reducing killing by dogs and disease transmission, and improving knowledge of the cat’s ecology and genetics. The specialist account also notes that hunting and international trade are prohibited under cited national protections and CITES Appendix I, while enforcement remains a challenge. Legal details and implementation differ by jurisdiction and may change, so country-specific rules should be checked against current local law.

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