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| Scientific Name: Oreailurus jacobitus |
Size: Head and body 23.5-35.5 inches
(60-90cm);
tail 14-16 inches (35-40cm) |
| Weight: 6.5-15.5 pounds (3-7kg) |
| Distribution: Exclusively South America,
confined to mountain regions of Peru, Boliva, Argentina and Chile |
| Habitat: Rocky, treeless zone of the
high Andes Mountains. Area is windy, arid and very cold. |
| Diet: Large rodents, and probably
lizards and birds. |
| Reproduction: Nothing known. |
| Status: Endangered |
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| Also known as the Andean Cat, the
Andean Mountain Cat, or the Andean Highland Cat. One of the least known and least
understood of all the cats, the Mountain Cat lives on the treeless, arid, rocky
slopes of the Andes, where it hunts large rodents such as Chinchillas and Vizcachas.
Records suggest that it does not occur below 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) and that
it can reach an elevation of as much as 16,000 feet (5,000 meters), or even higher.
It has been seen occasionally right up in the snow region. The Mountain Cat has
sometimes been placed alone in a separate genus of the cat family because of its
unique skull anatomy. |
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Generally,
it resembles a smaller version of the Snow
Leopard. Living in the colder regions of South America, it is not surprising
to find that this cat has longer, softer, finer fur than the other South American
species. The coat is essentially silvery-gray in color, but is adorned with short
stripes, blotches, and spots of brown and orange. The backs of the ears are dark
gray and the bushy tail is ringed with black.
Only a few Mountain Cats have ever been collected from the wild, and it is considered
to be a rare species, but even this is not known for certain because of the nature
of its terrain. |
| MOUNTAIN
CAT PHOTOS |
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