Andean Cat

About the Andean Cat

The Andean mountain cat (Leopardus jacobita) is a small wild cat native to the high Andes that has been listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because fewer than 1,500 individuals are thought to exist in the wild. The Andean mountain cat was first described by Emilio Cornalia, who named it in honor of Jacobita Mantegazza. It is a monotypic species.

The Andean mountain cat has ashy-gray fur, a grey head, and rounded ears. The nose and lips are black, and the areas around them are white; two dark brown lines run from the corners of the eyes across the cheeks. There are black spots on the forelegs, yellowish-brown blotches on the flanks, and up to two narrow, dark rings on the hind limbs. The long, bushy tail has six to nine rings, which are dark brown to black. The markings of juveniles are darker and smaller than those of adults. The skulls of adult specimens range in length from 100.4 to 114.8 mm (3.95 to 4.52 in) and are larger than those of the pampas cat and the domestic cat.

On the back and the tail, the hair is 40–45 mm (1.6–1.8 in) long. Its rounded footprints are 4 cm (1.6 in) long and 3.5 cm (1.4 in) wide. Its pads are covered with hair. Adult individuals... Wikipedia →