In the foothills of the Andes in the Argentine province of Mendoza, camera traps have once again captured the rarest Andean cat. The footage was recorded on 30 January 2026 a few kilometres east of La Payunia Reserve — this is already the third such encounter since 2024. For a species listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List, every confirmed presence is of particular significance.
The Andean cat (Leopardus jacobita) is the only member of the felid family in the Americas whose population is estimated at roughly 2100 adults. The main threats are hunting, habitat loss and a decline in prey, above all viscachas and other rodents. The animal leads a secretive life, which is why it is called the "ghost of the Andes": it is extremely rarely seen in the wild.
Since 2014, the organisations Greater Good Charities and WCS Argentina have been carrying out systematic work to restore the landscape in the La Payunia area. Thanks to the purchase and transfer of land into state ownership, it has been possible to reduce the pressure from livestock grazing, restore migration corridors and lessen the disturbance factor. As a result, species that were once present have begun to return to the ecosystem, including the mara, a large rodent related to guinea pigs.
Andrés Novaro, Director of Land Conservation at WCS Argentina, notes that the appearance of the Andean cat is only one of the positive signals. The reduction in grazing pressure has allowed the vegetation to recover, and with it the populations of small mammals. Monitoring in the Lonco Vaca area has shown a marked increase in the number of maras, which confirms that habitat protection works at the level of the entire ecosystem.
Such findings are important not only for science, but also for understanding how local efforts to restore landscapes can influence the fate of rare species. At a time when many mountain ecosystems of South America are under pressure from economic activity, the example of La Payunia shows that targeted measures can produce measurable results within just a few years.
Every new confirmation of the Andean cat's presence is a reminder: preserving even small patches of wilderness in key regions can sustain the fragile balance of entire communities.
