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| Scientific Name: Leopardus wiedii |
Size: Head and body 20-27.5 inches
(50-70cm);
tail 13-20 inches (33-51cm) |
| Weight: 6.5-11 pounds (3-5kg) |
| Distribution: From Mexico through
Central America and South America east of the Andes to Argentina. |
| Habitat: Lives in dense forests, it
is the most arboreal of all cats. Usually humid, tropical, and evergreen forests. |
| Diet: Rodents, birds, reptiles and
insects. |
| Reproduction: After a gestation period
of about 81 days, female gives birth to 1 kitten. |
| Status: Least
Concern |
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| It has also been named the Marguey,
the Long-tailed Spotted Cat, and the Little Ocelot. This last name describes it
well as this tree-living species seems to be a miniature form of the heavier,
more ground-dwelling Ocelot. The Margay is a small, spotted, New World cat now
considered rare throughout its range. The attractive markings on its tawny coat
consist of large spots with paler interiors and black edges. On the back of each
ear there is a large white spot ringed with black. Seen from behind, these two
marks create the impression of a pair of vivid "eye-spots." The cat's
own eyes are impressively large and dark. Its |
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tail
is exceptionally long and acts as a crucial balancing aid when the animal is moving
fast through the branches. Living in dense forests, it is the most arboreal of
all cats, with several unique features. It can leap through the trees almost as
acrobatically as a monkey. It can run down a treetrunk head-first, aided by the
fact that it, alone among cats, can rotate its hind feet through 180 degrees.
It can even run along the underside of branches and can hang from branches by
its hind feet like a squirrel. It is so adapted to an arboreal existence that
it hunts, nests, and mates above ground. Its prey are arboreal small mammals,
birds, lizards, and tree-frogs. The female gives birth to a single, large kitten
(rarely two). This is the smallest litter size in the entire cat family and is,
once again, consistent with an arboreal life, where a mother would find it almost
impossible to control, protect, and care for a nest full of a whole group of squirming
kittens. Significantly, unlike other female cats, she only has one pair of nipples.
The rarity of this species has been increased by widespread illegal hunting for
its beautiful pelt, and by massive deforestation that reduces its favored habitat. |
| MARGAY
PHOTOS |
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