Andean Cat Range

20-7-09: The Andean cat range in South America (marked in filled red and blue line - the blue markers describe the places where events took or are taking place or sightings - please click on them) is set out on the map above. The areas circled in black are "high value conservation areas" (read about them here: Andean Cat Conservation and Monitoring Center). I am sure that this map can be refined but it has been refined as at 10th Feb 2010. It is presented here as a large format version of the one on the Andean cat page. This is a felid with a very precise distribution (all the more reason that the map be made more precise). It is restricted to the high Andes of southern Peru, southwestern Bolivia, northeastern Chile and the north of Argentina.

If you would like to contribute to the information on this page about the Andean cat range, there is a form here. It is easy to use and news on this rare cat would be good to hear. You can promote yourself too.

This cat lives in rocky terrain at high altitude; where the landscape is without trees. Until Jim Sanderson Ph.D. and colleagues became involved it seems that there were few sightings of the Andean cat. One was spotted on a plateau at 4,500 metres in the Cumbres Calchaquies, Province Tucuman, Argentina, where the climate is cold, arid and windy. Rain is scarce and falls as snow in the summer months. In this landscape the Andean cat lives off small animals such as rabbits, ground dwelling birds and lizards for example. The cat would seem to be relatively unafraid of people judging by the pictures of Jim Paterson holding an Andean cat, I presume after capture. It seems the cat was behaving much like a domestic cat. See Andean Cat. Other observations took place as follows:

Place in Andean Cat range	Elevation above sea level	Sighting - source: Wild Cats Of The World
Salar de Surire - 1988 - see map marked blue above	4,600 metres	Wildlife photographer watched as the wild cat appeared early morning in an area of boulders. It was hunting but was unsuccessful. The cat accepted the photographers presence provided he kept a reasonable distance (20-30 feet).
Salar de Surire - 1998	4,600 metres	Jim Sanderson observed an Andean cat at the same location ten years later. It was seen on three occasions and close up (10 feet).
Hacienda Cala Cala, Peru, nr Azangaro.	4,300 metres	Single cat observed.