Andean Mountain Cat Camera Trap Photographs

This is a video of camera trap photographs of the elusive Andean Mountain cat. This is the most endangered wild cat species in the Americas. Almost the only way to photograph this cat is through camera traps although Jim Sanderson has photographed this cat with a regular camera as far as I am aware. Nearly all the photographs that one sees of this cat species on the Internet are by Jim Sanderson. You see the same photographs over and over again because there are so few photographs of this cat. Jim Sanderson PhD is the world's foremost small wild cat species expert.

This cat is about the same size as a regular sized domestic cat. However, you would not mistake this cat for a domestic cat.  The wild look and the thick tail are notable differences. The Andean mountain cat tail is thicker and more functional. The tail of this cat is used for balance negotiating rocky slopes etc. in the Andes. The coat is pretty much a regular tabby coat so this is a tabby cat but a rather special one as there are only about 2000 of them on the planet. Thank God they occupy remote places because if they didn't there would be none left already.

Andean Mountain Cat Status

The population is decreasing. It stood at about 2,000 until recently (2011). The IUCN Red List classify the species as Endangered. The assessment is based on the low population and many threats to survival. The Peruvian government has also declared to species endangered.

The threats are persecution by people who like to keep dried stuffed Andean cats as they are considered to endow them with special powers etc. The prey of the Andean is hunted and the cat's habitat is destroyed through mining activity. Local people also hunt this cat to protect livestock. A change in attitude by the local people is needed. They need incentives to do this.

Conservation has been increased with the efforts of specialists such as Jim Sanderson Ph.D. and colleagues in constructing a new conservation and monitoring center and with the assistance of the international initiatives such as the Alianza Gato Andino.

There are no captive Andean mountain cats as at 2002 (Wild Cats Of The World ISBN-13: 978-0-226-77999-7).

Is world demand for palm oil endangering the African golden cat?

The big international companies are moving into Africa for the land and the minerals. China is all over Africa for metals to supply their massive manufacturing industry that supplies the world with cheap consumer goods. Electronic goods need precious metals.

Palm oil is grown in equatorial Africa by small holding farmers. That is natural and obviously good for the local economy at that kind of scale. But when all the forests have been logged in Malaysia to make room for palm oil plantations the multinational companies have to move elsewhere to find virgin landscapes. There is still a lot of that in Africa. This why the African golden cat can survive in deep forest environments. Until now.

The forests of equatorial Africa, the territory of the African golden cat are being cut down to make way for palm oil plantations. This mirrors the destruction of virgin forest in Borneo for paper manufacture. The Bay cat lives in the Borneo forests.

It is not only the African golden cat that will suffer and gradually become extinct, I predict, in the wild. The local people will also suffer loss - financial loss.

The governments of Africa must think long term. They are leasing large areas of land to big business for instant profit. In the long term what will be the consequences?

African Golden Cat Status

Africa Golden cat status in the wild and captivity.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies the African Golden Cat as Near Threatened. We should not take this as gospel truth despite the fact that the Red List is the best source of status in the wild for this cat. This is because little is known about the species. There must be a large element of guesswork in this assessment. This sheds some light on the role of the IUCN Red List. Its work can lure people into the belief that things are alright when they might not be.



Threats to Survival

Habitat loss due to for instance palm oil developments. This causes deforestation. This also causes prey depletion. Hunting by local people for bush meat trade and incidental trappings are factors. The bush meat trade depletes prey items. The cat's skin is desirable and may result in this cat being killed. It is protected from being hunted but is the law enforced?

Status in Captivity

Rare in captivity. There are only a few. Naturally, this creates problems of breeding and therefore survival in captivity. Generally, wild cats don't do well in captivity. African golden cats in captivity have nothing to do with conservation, it appears.

CITES

Listed under CITES Appendix I

See IUCN Red List and Cats for a list of all wild cats and their survival status in the wild.