Andean Cat Alliance

The Andean cat is one of the rarest and least-known cats in the world. It lives high in the harsh climates of the Andes and Patagonia Mountains, where food is scarce and weather conditions are extreme. This small, sturdy cat is difficult to find – there have been only ten recorded sightings in 25 years – and even harder to study.

The Andean Cat Alliance, which operates across Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru, the countries where the cat lives, has risen to this challenge. Members of the Alliance devote their time and energy to saving an animal that most of them may never be able to see. Habitat loss and habitat degradation due to mining, water extraction, unregulated tourism and agricultural practices threaten the cat, as does hunting.

The Alliance was the first to capture and radio collar an Andean cat and uses its increasing knowledge of the cat for conservation education and the growth of protected areas.