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| Scientific Name: Herpailurus yaguarondi |
Size: Head and body 21.5-30.5 inches
(50-77cm);
tail 13-23.5 inches (33-60cm) |
| Weight: 11-20 pounds (5-9kg) |
| Distribution: Wide range in South
and Central America, from southernmost parts of North America to northern Argentina. |
| Habitat: Varies of habitats from rain
forest to secondary forest and scrubland. |
| Diet: Small mammals, arthropods, birds,
opossums, fruit, rabbits, armadillos, and monkeys. |
| Reproduction: After a gestation period
of 70-75 days, female gives birth to 2-3 kittens. |
| Status: Least
Concern |
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| There are three alternative spellings
of its common name: Jaguarundi / Jaguarondi / Yaguarundi. The name Jaguarundi
is a local (Tupi) word meaning "Little Jaguar," but in reality this
small cat looks nothing like its massive, spotted cousin. One of the most unusual
of the small cats, the Jaguarundi is sometimes called the "Weasel Cat"
because of its long neck, pointed head, small, rounded ears, slender body, and
short legs. Its elongated shape gives it the look of an animal that is halfway
between a cat and a mustelid. Jaguarundi are also one of the few unspotted cats,
having almost uniform-colored fur that comes in a wide |
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variation.
It may be black, brown, gray, red, or tawny yellow. It used to be thought that
the red form was a separate species, which was then named the Eyra. It is now
known that the red and gray forms can occur in the same litter.
A ground-dwelling species, it is less nocturnal than other small cats and feeds
on small mammals, birds and reptiles and hunts over a huge home range. Despite
its short legs it is a fast runner and can make rapid darts toward its intended
prey. It has also been said to eat various fruits, such as green figs, although
captive specimens seem to show little interest in such foods. A strong swimmer,
the Jaguarundi has sometimes been referred to as an Otter Cat in some regions
such as Mexico.
It is said to become reasonably tame when kept in captivity, at least until it
catches sight of a plump bird, when it becomes transformed into an uncontrollably
enthusiastic hunter. Its voice is a birdlike chirrup and it purrs like a domestic
cat when friendly. In pre-Columbian times, it is thought to have been partially
domesticated as a rat-catcher. |
| JAGUARUNDI
PHOTOS |
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