Smallest Wild Cat In The Western Hemisphere Makes Interesting Sounds We Can Finally Hear In This Video

This is the cutest thing ever ????

Ayoub

• Published in Animal Stories
• June 8, 2020

We're pretty much all familiar with all the different sounds domestic cats make, some are more unique than others but they're recognizable for the most part. When it comes to wild cats, it's a whole different domain.

We can recognize some cat sounds easily, like for instance the sounds lions or tigers make but we're still unaware of most of the other wild cat sounds out there. As far as cat fanatics are concerned, wild cats are just as fun to delight in as domesticated cats.

The world contains a whole variety of wild cats, and they all have different sounds. In its Photo Ark project, National Geographic recently unveiled what the smallest and most adorable wild cat in the Western Hemisphere, the Chilean güiña, sounds like, and it's the cutest thing ever. 

This adorable little fella is the smallest wild cat in the Western Hemisphere, it's a Chilean güiña

The Chilean güiña or Leopardus guigna weighs just under six pounds and is half the size of a typical domestic cat. It is included in the IUCN red list and considered a vulnerable species. Unfortunately, these wild cats are decreasing in numbers mostly due to loss of habitat.

It's half the size of a typical domestic cat

They typically weight just under six pounds

The one in these photos is amongst eight Chilean güiñas living at Fauna Andina and its name is Pikumche. The only rescue center in the world that has Chilean güiñas in captivity is Fauna Andina. 

The cats are rarely seen and are extremely shy. Chilean people call them “mystery cat that lives in the shadows”.

Chilean people call them “mystery cat that lives in the shadows” because they're extremely shy

National Geographic has finally shared with the world what these adorable cats sound like in its Photo Ark project

Pikumche was found orphaned as a kitten and was then brought to the Fauna Andina center. The two and a half-year-old Chilean güiña sadly can't be released back into the wild, considering how being around humans is a normal thing for him now.

 The founder of Fauna Andina, Fernando Vidal Mugica, interpreted the adorable feline's sounds and said that they are “likely expressions of pleasure or excitement” and the meow was due to other güiñas appearing.

You can clearly hear the adorable sounds Pikumche makes in the following video:

The Chilean güiña was featured in National Geographic’s Photo Ark as its 10,000th animal

The cat's presence at Fauna Andina has brought in some newly discovered knowledge that wasn't available before. We're so lucky to finally be able to hear the sound they make in the wild, thanks to Joel Sartore’s project Photo Ark.

The previous recording was made in Fauna Andina in Villarrica, Chile

This Facebook user offered an interesting explanation of the cat's name

Others instantly fell in love with the sounds Pikumche was making:

Ayoub