Updated contemporary distribution of the Pampas cat (Leopardus munoai) in Uruguay: evidence from continued monitoring
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34188/bjaerv9n3-234Palavras-chave:
Pampas cat, Leopardus munoai, contemporary distribution, citizen science, trail camera, roadkill, Pampa biome, UruguayResumo
The Pampas cat (Leopardus munoai) is one of the least-known small wild cats associated with the Pampa biome of southern South America. In Uruguay, knowledge of its distribution has historically been limited by scarce and geographically fragmented records. A recent national assessment based on confirmed evidence obtained between 2022 and 2025 documented contemporary occurrence of the species across seven departments using an integrated framework combining trail-camera monitoring, validated citizen-science observations, and road surveys. Here, we update the documented contemporary distribution of L. munoai in Uruguay by incorporating additional confirmed evidence obtained during continued monitoring in 2026 within the Uruguay Small Wild Cat Program – Rock and Pampa. Contemporary occurrence was documented in Paysandú through validated citizen science, in Lavalleja through trail-camera monitoring, and in Rocha through a documented roadkill record. These three departments were not represented in the 2022–2025 contemporary dataset. Additional trail-camera evidence from Florida provided methodologically independent confirmation in a department previously represented by citizen-science evidence. The updated distribution therefore documents contemporary occurrence of L. munoai across ten departments of Uruguay: Artigas, Rivera, Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Lavalleja, and Rocha. This work represents a substantial advance in our understanding of the contemporary distribution of Leopardus munoai in Uruguay, achieved through sustained geographic and temporal monitoring and the integration of complementary, independently verifiable sources of information. These findings reinforce the importance of long-term monitoring and validated community participation for progressively reducing distributional knowledge gaps in cryptic mammals occurring across extensive and heterogeneous landscapes.
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