New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships

The Andean cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) is one of the most endangered and least known wild cat species in the Americas and the world in general. We describe new records of the Andean cat in the central Andes of Chile, in Parque Andino Juncal, obtained as part of a monitoring program c...

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Main Authors: María Belén Zapararte, Constanza Napolitano, Martín Sapaj-Aguilera, Tomás Dinges, Catherine Kenrick, Gabriel Llerena-Reátegui, Cintia Gisele Tellaeche, Rocío Palacios
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/639
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author María Belén Zapararte
Constanza Napolitano
Martín Sapaj-Aguilera
Tomás Dinges
Catherine Kenrick
Gabriel Llerena-Reátegui
Cintia Gisele Tellaeche
Rocío Palacios
author_facet María Belén Zapararte
Constanza Napolitano
Martín Sapaj-Aguilera
Tomás Dinges
Catherine Kenrick
Gabriel Llerena-Reátegui
Cintia Gisele Tellaeche
Rocío Palacios
author_sort María Belén Zapararte
collection DOAJ
description The Andean cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) is one of the most endangered and least known wild cat species in the Americas and the world in general. We describe new records of the Andean cat in the central Andes of Chile, in Parque Andino Juncal, obtained as part of a monitoring program conducted from December 2020 to May 2021 using eight trail cameras. The cameras were active for 135 days (sampling effort 1080 camera-trap days). We recorded Andean cats in two different cameras, corresponding to two independent events in January and March 2021, respectively (0.19% capture success). Our new records are relevant since they fill a gap on the species distribution map, specifically in the area located between the two previously identified evolutionarily significant units (ESU) (26–35° S) which has been prioritized by the Andean Cat Alliance (AGA). We highlight the relevance of private protected areas in ecosystems of high biodiversity and fragility such as Parque Andino Juncal and also of strategic private-social partnerships for successful collaborative efforts to monitor the presence of rare, elusive, and endangered species. Our next steps will be to collect scats from this newly identified site and conduct genetic analyses to determine whether these animals are part of previously identified ESUs or a yet unidentified potentially distinct ESU or MU requiring special conservation measures.
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spelling doaj.art-0e905bac99454ea385f306ee37fadf1c2023-11-23T22:37:37ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-03-0112563910.3390/ani12050639New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social PartnershipsMaría Belén Zapararte0Constanza Napolitano1Martín Sapaj-Aguilera2Tomás Dinges3Catherine Kenrick4Gabriel Llerena-Reátegui5Cintia Gisele Tellaeche6Rocío Palacios7Parque Andino Juncal, Los Andes 2100000, ChileDepartamento de Ciencias Biológicas y Biodiversidad, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno 5311157, ChileParque Andino Juncal, Los Andes 2100000, ChileParque Andino Juncal, Los Andes 2100000, ChileParque Andino Juncal, Los Andes 2100000, ChileAndean Cat Alliance (Alianza Gato Andino, AGA), Villa Carlos Paz 5152, ArgentinaAndean Cat Alliance (Alianza Gato Andino, AGA), Villa Carlos Paz 5152, ArgentinaAndean Cat Alliance (Alianza Gato Andino, AGA), Villa Carlos Paz 5152, ArgentinaThe Andean cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) is one of the most endangered and least known wild cat species in the Americas and the world in general. We describe new records of the Andean cat in the central Andes of Chile, in Parque Andino Juncal, obtained as part of a monitoring program conducted from December 2020 to May 2021 using eight trail cameras. The cameras were active for 135 days (sampling effort 1080 camera-trap days). We recorded Andean cats in two different cameras, corresponding to two independent events in January and March 2021, respectively (0.19% capture success). Our new records are relevant since they fill a gap on the species distribution map, specifically in the area located between the two previously identified evolutionarily significant units (ESU) (26–35° S) which has been prioritized by the Andean Cat Alliance (AGA). We highlight the relevance of private protected areas in ecosystems of high biodiversity and fragility such as Parque Andino Juncal and also of strategic private-social partnerships for successful collaborative efforts to monitor the presence of rare, elusive, and endangered species. Our next steps will be to collect scats from this newly identified site and conduct genetic analyses to determine whether these animals are part of previously identified ESUs or a yet unidentified potentially distinct ESU or MU requiring special conservation measures.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/639Andean cat<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>central Andes of Chileendangeredpartnerships
spellingShingle María Belén Zapararte
Constanza Napolitano
Martín Sapaj-Aguilera
Tomás Dinges
Catherine Kenrick
Gabriel Llerena-Reátegui
Cintia Gisele Tellaeche
Rocío Palacios
New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships
Animals
Andean cat
<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>
central Andes of Chile
endangered
partnerships
title New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships
title_full New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships
title_fullStr New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships
title_full_unstemmed New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships
title_short New Records of the Andean Cat (<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>) in the Central Andes of Chile: Filling Gaps in the Distribution Range through Private-Social Partnerships
title_sort new records of the andean cat i leopardus jacobita i in the central andes of chile filling gaps in the distribution range through private social partnerships
topic Andean cat
<i>Leopardus jacobita</i>
central Andes of Chile
endangered
partnerships
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/639
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