Conservation Status
Vulnerable. Population decreasing.
Description
The margay is easily confused with the ocelot and the oncilla. It is difficult to distinguish by its coat, which is patterned with black-ringed rosettes and elongate blotches on a tawny background. Its fur is thick and plush. In motion, however, the margay displays exceptional climbing abilities. It has the ability to rotate its hind foot through 180 degrees. Thus equipped, it can run straight down trees head-first like a squirrel, and may hang from a branch by one hind foot. When captive, Margays have been observed in their enclosure where a rope was strung horizontally. The cats would jump from a distance of 2m with front legs and claws extended, hit the rope at their belly region, somersault over to hang by the hind feet, and drop back to the ground. Margays are strongly nocturnal and during the daytime they rest in trees.
Size
Your house cat is probably bigger than a Margay. The Margay is between the Oncilla and the Ocelot in size, weighing an average of 3.2 kg. The Margay’s tail is proportionately quite long, averaging 70% of head-body length and serves as a counterweight to aid balance.
Habitat
The margay is more strongly associated with forest habitat than any other tropical American cat. They formerly occurred as far north as Texas but only in forested areas. Margays hunt on the boundaries of forests and may be found some distance from forest cover in savanna habitats. Margays seem less tolerant of human settlement and altered habitat than its close relatives, the ocelot and oncilla, although it has been occasionally reported outside forested areas such as in shady cocoa or coffee plantations in Venezuela. The margay is absent from logged forest areas and rarely found at elevations above 1,200 m.
Diet
Margays most often forage in trees, but travel on the ground. Most prey is caught in trees and includes rats, squirrels, opossums, small birds, marmosets, monkeys and even fruit.
Breeding
Litters are most often one but sometimes two young, born after gestation of 76-84 days. Margays can live to about 20 years in captivity.
Range
South and Centeal Americas: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela
Other Names
margay (French)
Langschwanzkatze (German)
ctigrillo, gato tigre (Spanish)
gato pintado (Argentina, Peru, Venezuela)
tigrillito (Belize)
gato montés, gato de monté (Bolivia, Uruguay)
gato maracaja mirim peludo (Brazil)
pichigueta (Cent. Am.)
caucel (Costa Rica, Honduras)
burricón (Ecuador)
mbaracaya (Guatemala)
kuichua (Guyana)
chat tig, chat margay (French Guiana)
chulul (Mayan)
huamburushu (Peru, Venezuela)
cunaguaro (Venezuela)
tigrikati, boomkat (Suriname)
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| Margay (Leopardus wiedii) |
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