The Jaguarundi

Scientific Name: Herpailurus yaguarondi
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Weight: 7-17 pounds

Description:

The Jaguarundi has a very distinctive appearance with relatively short legs, a long, slender body and very long tail. The head is relatively small, elongate and flat with a characteristic blunt, ‘Roman Nose’ profile and widely spaced, rounded ears. The Jaguarundi is the least marked of all small cat species, with short, sleek, uniformly coloured fur almost devoid of markings except for very faint facial stripes and highlights, and occasionally faint markings on the inner limbs; the ear backs lack spots. Fur colour ranges from iron-grey, and red-brown ranging from tawny to bright brick-red and often with a bright white mussel and chin.

Prey:

Jaguarundi diet is based mainly on analysis of scats and stomach contents with few direct observations of hunting. Anaylsis shows that the most important category comprises of small mammals such as mice, rats, small opossums, lagomorphs, foxes, birds, reptiles, small fish, and even armadillos.  

Biology:

Largely unknown in the wild. Anecdotal reports suggest breeding is seasonal in the wild and is year round in captivity. Gestation lasts 72-75 days with litter sizes of 1 to 4 kittens.