[Animals] This is the “smallest cat in America” found in a national park in Neuquén

[FNX Magokiler]

This week, the images released by the park rangers of the Lanín National Park, located in Junín de los Andes, Neuquén, went viral on social networks for being a specimen of one of the smallest felines in America and one of the most difficult to find. .
Patagonia is one of the most chosen places by nature lovers around the world. One of the most visited sites is the Lanín National Park for its spectacular landscape, but also for its lakes, rivers and streams ideal for sport fishing, as well as trekking and mountain biking trails for people who like the outdoor sport.

In its forest of more than 412,000 hectares, different plant and animal species are preserved. And to keep track of the different inhabitants of this place, the park rangers installed different camera traps in various areas of the forest; However, they never knew what surprise they would find.
When reviewing the number of records, a specimen of one of the smallest felines in America was seen, better known as the Gato Huiña Melánico. This animal weighs between 2 to 3 kilos, measures between 39 and 18 centimeters, and its tail is 20 to 25 centimeters.

 

 

Other characteristics it has is that it has a thick and airy coat, with a reddish bay color in the background, with small, numerous dark spots that are distributed compactly. Its face is very small, with brown eyes and a dark nose, which can cause confusion with the Wildcat.

The curious thing about this species is that it plays a fundamental role within the forest ecosystem, since it feeds on rodents. The main threat to these cats is dog attacks, disease transmission by domestic cats, habitat fragmentation and forest fires.

From the park's press area, they explained: “As part of the conservation work being carried out within the southern zone of the Lanín National Park, an extraordinary record of a Melanic Huiña Cat was made. From monitoring with camera traps, the presence of a specimen of this feline was recorded, which lives mainly in areas with humid forests and is very difficult to observe.”

“The camera traps are installed in strategic places with the purpose of non-invasively recording and studying the presence of species such as foxes, hüiñas, pudú and pumas, among other species of native mammals and birds,” they continued.

 

https://www.lanacion.com.ar/lifestyle/en-las-redes/asi-es-el-gato-mas-pequeno-de-america-encontrado-en-un-parque-nacional-en-neuquen-nid03102023/