Peruvian Pampas Cat Leopardus garleppi
This research investigates the Pampas cat (Leopardus garleppi) population residing in the Mangroves San Pedro de Vice, a Ramsar-listed wetland in northwestern Peru. Scientists used noninvasive fecal DNA sampling between 2019 and 2021 to examine the species' genetic diversity, demographic trends, and trophic ecology. The findings reveal a critically small, kin-structured population of only nine identified individuals suffering from a recent genetic bottleneck and low effective population size. DNA metabarcoding of the samples indicates a diet primarily composed of the native yellowish rice rat, with no major dietary differences found between males and females. Ultimately, the study emphasizes that habitat restoration and functional connectivity are essential to prevent the extinction of this isolated, coastal felid population.
Colo Colo Conservation Project
Insitu 2026
From Prey to Protectors: Quechuan Women Redefine Wildcat Conservation in the Peruvian Highlands
InSitu 2025
Pampas Cat Working Group