Pampas Cat Leopardus colocolo in the Atacama Desert: First Records from Llanos de Challe National Park, Chile

Abstract

Pampas cat (Leopardus colocolo) is distributed from Ecuador, and possibly Colombia, to Argentina and Chile. Heavily hunted in the 1900s for its fur, the pampas cat is currently threatened by conflict retaliation for poultry predation, habitat transformation and feral dogs. This species was historically considered to occur in the Atacama desert of Chile, based on occasional unverified reports. Current range maps indicate its potential occurrence; however, no confirmed records exist. Here, we report the first confirmed records of the pampas cat at a low elevation site in the Atacama Desert within Llanos de Challe National Park from camera-trap surveys and direct sightings during 2012. The species has a low frequency of capture within azonal vegetation known as aguadas. Our records confirm the distribution of this species between 38 and 461 m asl for the southernmost portion of the Atacama Desert. This finding represents a significant contribution to the species' known distribution and elevation range, a significant addition to the fauna of the Atacama Region, and a challenge for its conservation within the protected area.