Villalba L, Lucherini M, Walker S, Cossíos D, Iriarte A, Sanderson J, Gallardo G, Alfaro F, Napolitano C, Sillero-Zubiri C. 2004. The Andean cat: Conservation action plan. La Paz, Bolivia: Andean Cat Alliance. 69 pp. Keywords: action plan/Andean cat/conservation/Oreailurus jacobita Abstract: The Andean cat (Oreailurus jacobita) is one of the least known felines in the world and is the most threatened felid species in the Americas. The available information suggests that this species has unique features and is genetically distinct from other small felid species, because it is very specialized to rocky habitats at elevations above 3500 m in the Andes of Argentina, Bolivia, chile and Perú. The document presents an assessment of the threats and the proposed actions to further the conservation of this unique species. Conservation Action Plan THE ANDEAN CAT: CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN Authors: Lilián Villalba, Mauro Lucherini, Susan Walker, Daniel Cossíos, Agustín Iriarte, Jim Sanderson, Giovana Gallardo, Fernando Alfaro, Constanza Napolitano, Claudio Sillero-Zubiri Collaborators: Roberval Almeida, José Luis Condori, Alejandra Lacaze, Analí Madrid, Andrés Novaro, Pablo Perovic. SPECIES SURVIVAL COMMISSION Endorsed by the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group C A T S P E C I A L I S T G R O U P 1 The Andean Cat 2 Conservation Action Plan Contents Prologue ............................................................................................................... VII Urs and Christine Breitenmoser Acknowledgments .............................................................................................. VIII Actions developed previous to the Action Plan ............................................... IX Executive Summary ............................................................................................ X Part I 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 1.1. Background ................................................................................................... 1 1.1.1. Species description ..................................................................... 1 Common names ........................................................................ 1 Systematics ............................................................................... 3 General description ................................................................... 3 1.1.2. Natural history .............................................................................. 4 Habitat ....................................................................................... 4 Habits ........................................................................................ 5 Biology and ecology .................................................................. 6 1.1.3. Distribution ................................................................................... 7 Argentina ................................................................................... 7 Bolivia ........................................................................................ 8 Chile .......................................................................................... 9 Perú ........................................................................................... 9 1.2. Andean cat and humans .............................................................................. 10 1.2.1. Beliefs and attitudes .................................................................. 10 Argentina ................................................................................... 10 Bolivia ........................................................................................ 10 Chile .......................................................................................... 11 Perú ........................................................................................... 11 1.2.2. Resource use, Livestock husbandry and Agriculture ................ 12 1.3. Conservation status ..................................................................................... 12 1.3.1. Legal status ............................................................................... 13 Argentina ................................................................................... 14 3 The Andean Cat Bolivia ....................................................................................... 14 Chile ......................................................................................... 14 Perú .......................................................................................... 14 1.3.2. Protected Areas ........................................................................... 15 Argentina .................................................................................. 15 Bolivia ....................................................................................... 16 Chile ......................................................................................... 17 Perú .......................................................................................... 18 1.4. Factors Threatening Andean Cat Conservation ....................................... 19 1.4.1. Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss/degradation .................... 19 Argentina .................................................................................. 19 Bolivia ....................................................................................... 19 Chile ......................................................................................... 20 Perú .......................................................................................... 20 1.4.2. Hunting ........................................................................................ 20 Argentina .................................................................................. 20 Bolivia ....................................................................................... 21 Chile ......................................................................................... 21 Perú .......................................................................................... 21 1.4.3. Intraguild competition ................................................................... 21 1.4.4. Reduction of the main prey .......................................................... 21 Argentina .................................................................................. 22 Bolivia ....................................................................................... 22 Chile ......................................................................................... 22 Perú .......................................................................................... 22 1.4.5. Small Population size, Genetic variability and Diseases ............. 22 1.5. Prioritization of the Identified Threats ....................................................... 23 1.6. Limiting Factors for Andean Cat Conservation ........................................ 24 1.6.1. Lack of Information ...................................................................... 24 1.6.2. Legislation and Conservation Policies ......................................... 24 1.6.3. Law Infringement ......................................................................... 24 1.6.4. Protected Areas and Corridors .................................................... 25 1.7. Limitations of the Action Plan .................................................................... 25 4 Conservation Action Plan Part II 2. OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................... 26 2.1. Main Objective ............................................................................... 26 2.2. Specific Objectives ....................................................................... 26 2.3. Assumptions ................................................................................. 26 3. ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................. 27 Objective 1 ............................................................................................ 27 Actions .................................................................................... 27 Objective 2 ............................................................................................ 28 Actions .................................................................................... 28 Objective 3 ............................................................................................ 29 Actions .................................................................................... 29 Objective 4 ............................................................................................ 30 Actions .................................................................................... 30 Objective 5 ............................................................................................ 31 Actions .................................................................................... 31 Objective 6 ............................................................................................ 31 Actions .................................................................................... 32 4. SPECIFIC PROJECTS ..................................................................................... 32 Distribution ........................................................................................... 33 Population Genetics