Research overview: Andean cat habitat and climate exposure in high mountains

The Andean cat is a rare, specialized felid of the high Andes and Patagonian steppe, dependent on rocky terrain and prey such as mountain vizcachas. This overview surveys what is known about its restricted distribution, the climate exposure of its high-elevation habitat, and the threats of habitat degradation, mining, and prey decline. It reviews the difficulty of studying such an elusive, low-density species and the gaps in distribution data. The synthesis frames the Andean cat as a poorly known but climate-vulnerable mountain specialist analogous to the snow leopard, illustrating how high-elevation cats with narrow niches and dependence on specific prey face particular risk as warming reshapes their already marginal montane habitats.