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Jaguarundi

Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi). Spanish Name: Gato Moro

Jaguarundi
Jaguarundi
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  • Sightings

  • Aviarios del Caribe Reserve
    La Selva Biological Station
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    Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
    Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
    Sirena Biological Station
    Tenorio & Miravalles Protected Zone
    Santa Rosa National Park

    Habitat
    This cat tolerates many different habitats, including gallery forest, tropical evergreen forest, and dry deciduous forest.

    Range
    The Jaguarundi lives between the Rio Grande Valley in Texas to northern Argentina.

    Physical Description
    Unlike most other cats in Central America, the Jaguarundi is very diurnal, and has a circular pupil probably for this reason. Its face looks somewhat ominous compared to other cats because of its unusual eyes, body proportions, and coat color. It is a medium-sized cat with a slender build and comparatively long neck and head. Unlike other small cats in Central America, the Jaguarondi is not spotted, and is instead a solid black, gray, or reddish color. This feline is also unusual for its range because it is more likely to be aggressive or mean when encountered, while other cats tend to evade confrontation.

    Biology and Natural History
    Two or more individuals are often seen traveling together, presumably a mother with her offspring. She will have two or more young at a time in a den in a hollow log, treefall, or thicket. Although the jaguarundi sleeps and hunts on the ground, it capable of climbing trees. This cat is active in the early morning and late afternoon, and often treads dense underbrush near water, valley forests, boundaries of gallery forests, or secondary forest by villages. Again an irregularity, this cat does not necessarily avoid settled areas, and is known to take chickens. Despite this and its daylight hunting, this is still a stealthy cat, uncommonly seen, and mostly glimpsed by field workers because of its hours of activity.

    Diet
    The Jaguarundi is particularly skilled at hunting small rodents, rabbits, and ground-nesting birds; it may also take lizards and chickens.

    Height/Weight
    An adult generally has a head and body length of 0.76 to 0.82 m, and a tail 0.32 to 0.506 m long. They weigh about 9 kg.

    Taxonomy
    Order: Carnivora
    Family: Felidae

    Sources
    Eisenberg, John. Mammals of the Neotropics, Vol. 1. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1989.

    Emmons, Louise H. Neotropical Rainforest Mammals: A Field Guide, 2nd Ed. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1990.

    Wilson, D. E. in Janzen, Daniel H. Costa Rican Natural History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983.

    -Amy Strieter, Wildlife Writer

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