Ten Wild Felines of Bolivia | Diez felinos silvestres de Bolivia

By WWF; Brújula Digital:

On International Cat Day, WWF Highlights Ten Wild Felines of Bolivia

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) marked International Cat Day by showcasing ten wild feline species that inhabit Bolivia, from the western highlands to the eastern lowlands.

One of the images shared by WWF Bolivia on Facebook.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) took advantage of International Cat Day to remember the wild cats that inhabit Bolivia, both in the western and eastern regions.

The conservation organization posted photographs on its social media channels of ten wild cats recorded across Bolivian territory. WWF also emphasized that Bolivia is among the countries in the region with the greatest diversity of wild feline species.

Pampas Cat (Leopardus braccatus): inhabits grasslands and savannas in eastern Bolivia. It is a small- to medium-sized cat with fur ranging from gray to yellowish tones and is primarily nocturnal.

Geoffroy’s Cat (Leopardus geoffroyi): found in southern and southwestern parts of the country. It has a spotted coat with black markings and is one of the smallest wild felines in the region.

Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis): occurs in Bolivia’s lowlands and tropical forests. It is distinguished by its rosette-shaped markings and is one of the most widespread spotted cats in the Americas.

Andean Cat (Leopardus jacobita): inhabits the Altiplano and high Andean regions. It is one of South America’s most threatened feline species, with a small and fragmented population.

Pajonal Cat (Leopardus garleppi): lives in high-altitude grasslands and Andean areas. Its grayish coat with diffuse markings is adapted to the cold conditions of elevated regions.

Oncilla or Little Spotted Cat (Leopardus tigrinus): a small spotted feline that inhabits forests and transitional ecosystems in eastern Bolivia. It is solitary and mainly nocturnal.

Margay (Leopardus wiedii): a small cat with exceptional climbing abilities, adapted to an arboreal lifestyle in the country’s humid forests.

Puma (Puma concolor): one of the most widely distributed felines in Bolivia, found across diverse ecosystems, from lowlands to the Andes. It is the second-largest cat species in the Americas.

Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi): a slender-bodied feline with a uniform, unspotted coat that inhabits forests and scrublands in eastern Bolivia.

Jaguar (Panthera onca): the largest feline in the Americas and one of the emblematic species of the Bolivian Amazon. It is primarily found in lowlands and tropical forests of the north and east.

WWF noted that the selection is based on the 2026 List of Mammals of Bolivia, updated through the work of researchers and institutions contributing to the knowledge and conservation of the country’s wildlife.

BD/SDR/JA

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