From the Spring 1999 issue of Cat News, the newsletter of the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group
Andean mountain cats (Oreailurus jacobita) in northern Chile
by Jim Sanderson
Andean mountain cat (Oreailurus jacobita) sightings are rare, with only three documented encounters published (Nowell and Jackson 1996, Grimwood 1969, Scrocchi and Halloy 1986, Ziesler 1992). Virtually nothing is known of its biology, ecology, or its importance to native people. Only recently has there been any genetic analysis and this was from 14 museum specimens (Johnson et al. 1998).
From October 26 to December 15, 1998 I surveyed and live-trapped for Andean mountain cats at Sala de Surire National Park near the Chilean/Bolivian border (18o51'S, 69o08'W, 4,280m). An active borax mine was operated in the Sala. According to my interviews with local native American Aymara llama and alpaca herders, only one old man could recall having seen the cat as many as four times in his lifetime. Most people have not seen cats in several years and indeed reported that, though three species of cats were once found in the area, only pumas were known to occur with certainty today.
My survey was based at Surire because a photo taken from the CONAF ranger station was confirmed to be an Andean mountain cat. I observed, photographed, and created a video tape of an Andean mountain cat adult male in excellent condition on three occasions, once for five hours and from as close as two meters. After 591 trap days I failed to capture any cats, though I did succeed in capturing hog-nosed skunks (Conepatus chinga) on eight occassions and 16 mountain viscachas (Lagidium viscacia). In addition, I photographed one stuffed Andean mountain cat and one skin, eight stuffed Pampas cats (Lynchailurus colocolo), and two pumas (Puma concolor) used by the Aymara in festivals. I obtained three of these specimens for the National Museum of Chile.
My observations confirm the three previously published reports that the Andean mountain cat seems without fear of people. Indeed, during video-taping from a distance of 10m he stretched, yawned, sprayed a rock and then slept for 12 minutes before resuming his search through a mountain viscacha colony.
The area around Surire is treeless until 4,600m where knarled trees appear sparsely. Spike grasses, a cactus, and thorny shrubs are utilized by mountain viscachas for food and shelter from the midday sun. Four rodents are found in the area: mountain viscacha, tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus), highland desert mouse (Eligmodontia typus), and the Altiplano chinchilla mouse (Chinchillula sahamae). In addition, Altiplano bird species, and at least one species of lizard, were present in the study area. My observations contrast with those of previous reports regarding the size of mountain viscacha colonies. I would also like to note that because mountain viscachas are crepuscular this does not imply that Andean mountain cats are active only at dawn and dusk.
My observations also confirm that mountain viscachas exhibit a crepuscular activity pattern. They take shelter from intense solar heat during the midday hours in shade provided by plants and rocks. Hence, they are huntable and the male cat I observed was intermittently active during the entire day. Furthermore, the mountain viscacha colony behind my living quarters contained more than 1,200 animals, a population estimated by three independent surveys I did two weeks apart. This is in contrast to Ziesler's (1992) report of viscacha colonies being no larger than 60 animals. Water ran daily in a nearby bofedal, an area watered by surface flow, creating a green oasis in an otherwise brown environment save for the emerald green llareta (Laretia compacta), a dense, cushion-like shrub. Adequate water and large food supply might indicate the cat was present or nearby most of the time.
I trapped over a wide region and in bofedals, areas of high viscacha densities, places where I found cat tracks, areas where spray marks were found, and places where cat observations had been made in the past with a variety of fresh baits (chicken, alpaca, llama, fish, and sheep) using camouflaged live traps. I furthermore changed bait about every three days and could observe traps from a distance with binoculars, thereby minimizing my contact with them. Bait froze at night and dried during the day lessening its effectiveness as a scent attractant. I piled bait on rocks behind some traps. Save for the skunks, my bait attracted no birds of prey or terrestrial carnivores.
The adult male Andean mountain cat I observed was reminiscent of a guigna (Oncifelis guigna) I had radio-collared earlier in the year on Isla Grande de Chiloe. The guigna male did not seem to maintain a home range. He travelled over a large territory, probably in search of females, and was likely to be found anywhere in it from day to day. He would travel to a place, stay a short period, and then leave only to show up elsewhere for a like period. I believe the male Andean mountain cat I observed did the same. He had adequate water, ample food, but no females and so, I believe, roamed a great area that included, but was not restricted to, my study area. Because he showed no fear of humans, hunted actively and intensely in my presence, and because no vegetation was higher than my thigh and I could survey large areas from prime vantage points, and because I spent on average six hours per day walking the rock piles making observations, I believe this male was either a transient or roaming a vast area.
Within a cave near Putre (3,300m) east of Arica, Chile, there is a pictograph of a figure with arms and hands outstretched. At the figure's fingertips are three species of cats: one is large (puma), one is medium-sized with a thin tail (pampas cat) and one is small with a large thick tail (Andean mountain cat). One Aymara woman I met had five stuffed cats: two puma juveniles, two adult pampas cats, and one adult Andean mountain cat. She reported to me that cats were part of Aymara's spiritual lives. They had been for as long as there have been Aymara people. With the exception of the pumas, her stuffed cats were more than 20 years old. Now, she lamented, the other cats were most likely gone.
In the Andean mountain cat lie the conservationist's greatest hopes and fears. The Aymara fear that the young people prefer CD players to important cultural ceremonies. Conservationists wish the cats were numerous, so numerous, that they could be harvested for ceremonies by the Aymara, thus helping keep their culture alive. And yet how can a cat that is fearless of people and used in important festivals be protected for future generations. Is this the last generation of an ancient people and their icon?
I am planning a second visit to another study area, where I hope cats are in greater densities to allow a radio-tracking study. I wish to thank the Bosack and Kruger Charitable Foundation and Kristin Nowell's Cat Action Treasury for their generous support of my project. I also thank the Denver Zoological Foundation, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers, and Mountain Views Farms Breeding and Conservation Centre for financial support. Dr. Agustin Iriarte, Servico Agricola y Ganadero, Chile, provided the necessary permits and suggested the study area. Corporacion Nacional Forestal (CONAF) provided living quarters. Fernando Elorza Marcos and Jose Luis Galaz (CONAF), and many CONAF park guards provided much appreciated logistical help. The local Carabineros also aided my project and donated a stuffed juvenile pampas cat complete with ceremonial ribbons. Ms. Barbara Knapton, Putre, helped me acquire an Andean mountain cat skin. Mr. John Wagenknecht provided assistance throughout my study and I thank him.
References
Grimwood, I.R. 1969. Notes of the distribution and status of some Peruvian mammals
in 1968. Special publication number 21, New York Zoological Society, Bronx, New York.
Johnson, W.E., M. Culver, J.A. Iriarte, E. Eizirik, L. Seymour, and S.J. O'Brien. 1998. Tracking the evolution of the elusive Andean mountain cat (Oreailurus jacobita) from mitochondrial DNA. The Journal of Heredity 89(3):227-232.
Nowell, K. and P. Jackson. 1996. Wild Cats: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan. IUCN Gland, Switzerland.
Scrocchi, G.J. and S.P. Halloy. 1986. [Systematic, ecological, ethological and biogeographical notes on the Andean mountain cat Felis jacobita Cornalia (Felidae, Carnivora).]. Acta. Zool. Lilloana 38(2):157-170.
Ziesler, G. 1992. Souvenir d'un chat des Andes. Animan: Nature et Civilisations 50:68-79.