Jaguarundi Cat - Profile | Description | Traits | Facts

(Last Updated On: October 9, 2021)

The Jaguarundi, scientific name Herpailurus yagouaroundi is a wild cat native to the Americas. Its vary extends from central Argentina within the south to the US–Mexico border within the north, by way of Central and South America east of the Andes.

Jaguarundi Cat: About

The jaguarundi is a medium-sized cat of slender construct and uniform coloration that differs considerably from different neotropical cats (such because the small, noticed cats within the genus Leopardus) in its exterior look.

Actually, the Jaguarundi cat exhibits a number of options seen in mustelids (akin to otters and weasels)—it has an elongated physique with comparatively quick legs, a small, slim head, small, spherical ears, a brief snout, and a protracted tail.

Round twice as giant because the home cat, the jaguarundi reaches practically 36 cm (14 in) on the shoulder and weighs 3.5–7 kg (7.7–15.4 lb). There are two color morphs—grey and pink. Secretive and alert, the jaguarundi is usually solitary or varieties pairs within the wild, although captive people are extra gregarious.

In contrast to different sympatric cats akin to ocelots, the jaguarundi is extra lively in the course of the day and hunts primarily throughout daytime and night hours. People dwell in giant dwelling ranges and are sparsely distributed inside an area.

The jaguarundi cat is an environment-friendly climber, however, it usually prefers searching on the floor. It feeds on varied sorts of prey, particularly ground-feeding birds, reptiles, rodents, and small mammals.

Mating happens all year long, with peaks at totally different instances of the year throughout the vary.

After a gestation interval of 70 to 75 days, a litter of 1 to 4 kittens is born. A lifespan of as much as 15 years has been recorded in captivity. Jaguarundis happen in a broad array of closed in addition to open habitats starting from tropical rainforests and deciduous forests to deserts and thorn scrubs.

Whereas they’re pretty widespread in Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela, jaguarundis could have gone extinct within the US.

The IUCN lists the jaguarundi cat as Least Concern, however, populations are in decline in lots of elements of its vary as a consequence of loss and fragmentation of their habitat and persecution for killing poultry.

Jaguarundi cat Bodily traits

The jaguarundi is a medium-sized cat of slender construct and uniform coloration that differs considerably from different neotropical cats (such as because of the small, noticed cats within the genus Leopardus) in its exterior look.

This has been attributed to variations in its karyotype—the jaguarundi cat has 38 chromosomes, not like the 36 in different small South American cats, and the chromosomal options resemble these of Old World cats such as because of the leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis).

Actually, the jaguarundi cat exhibits a number of options seen in mustelids (akin to otters and weasels)—it has an elongated physique with comparatively quick legs, a small, slim head, small, spherical ears, a brief snout, and a protracted tail.

The top-and-body size is between 53 and 77 cm (21 and 30 in); the sturdy, muscular tail is 31–52 cm (12–20 in) lengthy.

Round twice as giant because the home cat, the jaguarundi cat reaches practically 36 cm (14 in) on the shoulder and weighs 3.5–7 kg (7.7–15.4 lb), although bigger people weighing around 9 kg (20 lb) have been reported. Males are barely bigger than females. The coat is uniformly colored with at most just a few faint markings on the face and the stomach, although kittens are noticed for a brief length.

Black and white marks on the lips and the snout, just like these of the cougar, might be clearly seen in juveniles and a few adults.

Two-color morphs are recognized (although intermediate shades are additionally seen)—grey (blackish to brownish-gray fur with a grizzled look as a consequence of vivid and darkish rings on particular person hairs) and pink (cunning pink to chestnut); earlier these morphs have been thought-about two totally different species.

People of each color might be born in an identical litter. Blackish brown people superficially resemble the tayra (Eira barbara), however, the latter might be instructed aside by the clear, yellowish patch on the throat.

The pink morph is seen extra typically in dry, open areas. Melanistic people have been reported, however, the coat will not be utterly black; the pinnacle and the throat are clearly paler than the remainder of the physique.

The ears, 2.5–4 cm (0.98–1.57 in) lengthy, are extensively spaced and, not like many different felids, lack white spots on the again.

The jaguarundi cat has a complete of 30 teeth; the dental system is 3.1.3.13.1.2.1. Amongst felids, the jaguarundi cat is intently just like the flat-headed cat (Prionailurus planiceps), however, it has an extended body and proportionately longer legs, is heavier, and lacks the darkish markings on the cheeks of the flat-headed cat.

Tawny jaguarundis bear the same coloration because of the considerably bigger cougar.

Jaguarundi cat Behavior and ecology

The jaguarundi cat is shy and reclusive, and apparently very cautious of traps. There have been only some radio telemetry research of jaguarundis in Belize, Brazil, and Mexico.

Although exercise has been noticed all through the day and at night time, jaguarundis appear to want searching throughout daytime and night hours; as an example, research in Belize reported that jaguarundis began transferring earlier than daybreak and remained lively by way of many of the day until sundown with a peak in searching from late morning to midday.

The cat seems to be extra diurnal than most different cats, particularly noticed cats that are usually extra lively at night time.

The jaguarundi cat can swim throughout medium-sized rivers; a person in Bolivia was recorded swimming throughout the Tuichi River.

Jaguarundis are environment-friendly climbers as nicely, however, hunt primarily on the floor; the coat color works as a great camouflage for terrestrial exercise. They’ll leap as much as 2 m (6.6 ft) into the air to catch birds.

Predators recorded for jaguarundis embrace boa constrictors, cougars, and home canines. Parasites akin to hookworms (Ancylostoma species), tapeworms (akin to Spirometra and Toxocara species), and the lung fluke have been present in jaguarundis. Research has principally noticed jaguarundis alone or in pairs; pairs might in all probability be fashioned between moms and older kittens or between people of reverse sexes in the course of the mating season. People in captivity have been discovered to be extra gregarious.

House ranges are usually giant; research in Brazil recorded dwelling ranges 1.4–18 km2 (0.54–6.95 sq mi) in dimension for females, whereas these males measured 8.5–25.3 km2 (3.3–9.8 sq mi) in space.

Two males in Belize have been recorded to have exceptionally giant dwelling ranges spanning a space of 88 km2 (34 sq mi) and 100 sq. kilometers (39 sq mi), whereas the house varies of the feminine in the identical area measured 13–20 km2 (5.0–7.7 sq mi) in dimension.

Inhabitants densities are usually low, around 0.01 to 0.05/km2 (0.026 to 0.129/sq mi) in Brazil, although Tamaulipas (Mexico) and the Llanos in Costa Rica and Venezuela have recorded figures as excessive as 0.2/km2 (0.52/sq mi). Marking conduct might function as a way of olfactory or visible communication amongst jaguarundis; people in captivity have been noticed scraping areas with their hind ft (typically with urination), clawing on logs, rubbing objects with their heads, and leaving feces uncovered.

Social conduct akin to grooming, growling, and sniffing has been recorded.

The jaguarundi cat has a broad vocal repertoire; 13 totally different calls have been recorded together with chattering, purring, screaming, a ‘wah-wah’ name, whistling, yapping, and a peculiar bird-like chirp.

In captivity, females in estrus have been noticed making faint sounds as they scent mark the world around their enclosures.

Jaguarundi cat Diet

The jaguarundi cat usually feeds on small-sized prey weighing lower than 1 kg (2.2 lb), together with ground-feeding birds, reptiles, rodents, and small mammals.

Jaguarundis can even take bigger prey akin to home poultry, fish, marmosets, rabbits, and opossums; research recorded small deer (presumably carrion) within the weight-reduction plan. Vegetation akin to grasses has additionally been recorded of their weight-reduction plan.

The research confirmed jaguarundis take 400 g (14 oz) vertebrate prey on a mean on a regular basis.

The broad array of prey recorded for the jaguarundi cat throughout its vary and ranging proportions of various prey in its weight-reduction plan might point out that the cat tends to feed on probably the amplest and simply catchable prey within the space.

Reproduction

Jaguarundi cat has been noticed mating all year round, with peaks at totally different instances of the 12 months throughout the vary; as an example, in Mexico breeding peaks in January and March.

Estrus lasts three to 5 days, marked by the feminine repeatedly rolling onto her again and spraying urine.

Sexually mature males will pursue the feminine, not reacting to any aggressive conduct from her aspect.

As in lots of different felids, the male bites the fur on the feminine’s neck on mounting; the feminine lets out a loud scream on penetration. After a gestation interval of 70 to 75 days, a litter of 1 to 4 kittens is born in a den constructed in a dense thicket, hole tree, or related cowl.

The kittens are lined nicely with fur and the underside is marked with spots, which disappear as they age; the coat color step by step adjustments because the kittens get older.

The mom begins bringing stable meals for the kittens when they’re around three weeks previous, however, they merely play with it till the mom finally ingests it. Kittens are able to take stable meals like birds and guinea pigs at around six weeks.

Jaguarundis turn into sexually mature at one to a few years of age. Lifespan as much as 15 years have been recorded in captivity.

Distribution and habitat

The jaguarundi cat inhabits all kinds of habitats—from tropical rainforests and deciduous forests to deserts and thorn scrubs.

It may also be present in cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas. In contrast to the sympatric margay, ocelot, and oncilla, the jaguarundi can dwell in open areas as nicely.

In open habitats the jaguarundi cat prefers areas with vegetative cowl akin to cacti, which might usually be troublesome for potential predators to penetrate; there could also be just a few clearings on the periphery of such areas. Jaguarundis have a tendency to remain near a supply of operating water.

The jaguarundi cat is famous for its resistance to environmental disturbances in its habitat; it will probably efficiently thrive in reforested areas.

Whereas generally inhabiting lowlands as much as 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above the ocean stage, this cat has been reported at elevations as excessive as 3,200 m (10,500 ft) in Colombia. The vary extends from central Argentina within the south to the US–Mexico border within the north, by way of Central and South America east of the Andes—second solely to the cougar within the latitudinal extent of its distribution.

Nevertheless, not all elements of its vary have been studied nicely. The jaguarundi cat is pretty widespread in Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela.

It’s presumably extinct within the US; a 1999 research refuted claims of sightings in Arizona.

The final confirmed sighting within the US was in all probability of a roadkilled particular person close to Brownsville (Texas) in 1986. The incidence of the jaguarundi cat in Florida has remained doubtful for many years, the place they’ve been reported since 1907.

They have been allegedly launched within the area by an author from Chiefland who sooner or later imported the animals from their native habitat and launched them close to his hometown and in different areas throughout the state.

W. T. Neill famous that jaguarundis occurred all through peninsular Florida within the 1950s, however, the numbers had plummeted by the late 1970s.

Jaguarundis have been additionally reported within the coastal space of Alabama within the 1980s, which can be proof of the Florida inhabitants migrating northward.

The jaguarundi cat has additionally been recorded from Cerro Largo in Uruguay, the place its presence was unsure.

Threats and conservation

The jaguarundi cat has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2002. Mexican populations, besides these within the northeast, look steady.

The massive reserves of the Amazon Basin are in all probability the one conservation models that may maintain long-term viable populations.

In its 2015 revision, the IUCN famous that the species needs to be listed as Close to Threatened, however, there was not sufficient information to go upon to increase this classification all through the vary.

The jaguarundi cat will not be notably wanted for its fur as a consequence of its poor high quality and low worth, however, is struggling to decline as a consequence of habitat loss.

Different threats embrace the dangers of habitat fragmentation and persecution for killing poultry.

Populations within the US are protected below the Endangered Species Act; the Texas Parks and Wildlife Division has expressed concern that its presence in South Texas could also be imperiled as a consequence of the lack of the cat’s native habitat.

Populations in Mexico are listed below the Mexican Official Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010.

The searching jaguarundi cat is restricted in Peru and banned in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Uruguay, the US, and Venezuela.

Jaguarundi Cat – Profile | Description | Traits | Facts | Care