Image - Nurode.com
In the American continent there is a kind of feline very similar to the cat that we have at home but that, unlike our furry one, is in serious danger of extinction: it is the Andean cat.
This animal that lives in the mountainous regions of the Andes, if I may say so, is one of the most beautiful small cats in the world. Let's find out what your life is like.
What is the Andean cat like?
Imagen - Nurode.com
Our protagonist, whose scientific name is Leopardus jacobitus, It is an animal that weighs between 4 and 7 kilos and that can measure between 60 and 80 centimeters (plus the tail measuring 35cm). The height to men of about 35cm. Its body is robust and is protected by a coat of long hair with a pattern of variable brown or reddish spots (points, striations or stripes) on a leaden or grayish shape.
The face is similar to that of the felis catus: it is rounded, with large and triangular ears. Their eyes are round and well proportioned to the rest of the body.
What is their behavior?
Those who have had the opportunity to see it agree that the Andean cat does not usually show any fear of human presence. However, it does raise the hairs on its back when it encounters a screeching fox, probably because it is a trophic competitor.
Why is it an endangered animal?
Despite the fact that it feeds on rodents and small birds, and despite the fact that it lives in mountainous regions, in the Andes there is a belief that killing it brings good luck. What's more, its skin is used in ceremonies and traditional festivals.
Unless something is done to prevent it, the Andean cat might not see the light of the XNUMXnd century.