Research overview: Andean cat distribution in the high Andes

The Andean cat is one of the rarest and least known cats, restricted to high-elevation habitats of the Andes in Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, and to adjacent high-steppe of Patagonia. This overview compiles records describing its association with rocky, arid mountain slopes and ravines above the treeline, typically at high altitude where its principal prey lives. Its distribution is naturally patchy and sparse, mirroring the fragmented availability of suitable rocky habitat and prey. Documenting where the Andean cat occurs is exceptionally difficult given its rarity and remote terrain, and much knowledge rests on scattered sightings, camera traps, and sign. Accurate distribution data are foundational for conserving a species whose every population may be critically small.