You can travel through the Puna again and again. Return to the same place, stand on the same rock—even in the same seasons or on the same days of the year. But it will never be the same. Each journey holds something unrepeatable: the play of light on the hills, the wind, the temperature, who walks beside us, or even the state of mind with which we face the landscape.
Sometimes, amidst so much silence and vastness, a bird, a reptile, or a mammal appears as an unexpected gift. Yet there are secrets that nature guards more jealously—some that, no matter how persistently they are sought, reveal themselves only to a lucky few.
Thanks to the experience of Juan Reppucci, AGA member who has studied this species for years, and with the support of Luis Giramonti, guide from Socompa, cameras were installed in areas near El Peñón, in the province of Catamarca.
Days later, Luis returned to the site with an Italian traveler to check and reprogram one of the cameras. The next day, the Andean cat was recorded. A reminder of how close these elusive felines may be, even when our senses do not perceive them.
This finding was not only a milestone, but also the beginning of a long-term alliance. AGA and Socompa aim to continue working together to: Develop new monitoring areas for the species, strengthen environmental education in local communities, and promote a form of tourism that is conscious, respectful, and connected to conservation.
Each step in this alliance brings us closer not only to the knowledge and protection of an endangered species, but also to building a model of tourism that values silence, patience… and makes room for surprise.
