Margay

Tree ocelot, Long-Tailed Spotted cat

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Subphylum

Vertebrata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Suborder

Feliformia

Family

Felidae

Subfamily

Felinae

Genus

Leopardus

SPECIES

Leopardus wiedii

Population size

Unknown

Life Span

10-20 yrs

WEIGHT

2.6-4 kg

LENGTH

48-79 cm

The margay is a small cat, somewhat bigger than a large domestic cat, its coat varying in color from grayish brown to tawny yellow and marked with rows of open rosettes and dark spots. Its head, neck and throat have black lines, and behind the ears they are black with a white spot in the center. The cat’s fur is relatively soft and thick, and, unusually, grows “in reverse” on the back of its neck, instead, slanting forwards. This animal has much individual variation in its beautiful coat pattern. Males and females are similar in size and appearance.

Nocturnal

Carnivore

Arboreal

Terrestrial

Mesopredator

Serial monogamy

Solitary

Distribution

The margay lives in northern Mexico, Central America, and in South America, east of the Andes mountains, and as far to the south as Uruguay and northern Argentina. Although reported occasionally outside forested areas, like shaded coffee or cocoa plantations, this cat is associated more strongly with forest habitat than other tropical American cats. It inhabits a range of types of forest. The margay seems to be not so tolerant of altered habitat and human settlement than species like the ocelot, though it may live in disturbed areas if there is sufficient tree cover.

Geography

Continents

South America, North America

Subcontinents

Central America

Countries

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela

Biome

Tropical savanna

Tropical moist forests

Tropical dry forest

Tropical coniferous forests

Climate zones

Temperate

Tropical

Habits and Lifestyle

The margay is a solitary and primarily nocturnal animal. In southern Brazil, however, it has been recorded as being active during the day as well. It is an agile and excellent climber and is able to descend head first from a tree or hang by one hind foot from a branch. It mainly rests and sleeps in trees, making its nests in hollows and is regarded as being more arboreal and better adapted to living in trees than other species of cat. Nevertheless, margays hunt and travel mostly while on the ground. Margays, like most cats, are territorial. Their home ranges to some extent may overlap, but individual animals keep their distance from one other. They mark their territory with urine, and secretions that come from scent glands between their toes and on their faces. Males have additional glands on their tails for this purpose.

Group name

destruction (wild cats), clowder, clutter, pounce

Lifestyle

Arboreal, Terrestrial, Mesopredator

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR

Serial monogamy

REPRODUCTION SEASON

October-January, may be year-round

PREGNANCY DURATION

76-85 days

BABY CARRYING

1-2 kittens

INDEPENDENT AGE

8 weeks

FEMALE NAME

queen

MALE NAME

tomcat

BABY NAME

kitten

Margays are serially monogamous animals, forming temporary pair bonds during the mating season. After mating, these pairs may stay together throughout the breeding season, sometimes even hunting together. Male leave before the birth of the kittens and do not help to rear them. The natural mating season goes from October to January, though it may be year-round in the deep tropics. After gestation of 76 - 85 days, the young are born, either one or two. The kittens open their eyes when they are about two weeks old, and begin to go outside the den at around five weeks old. Weaning occurs at about eight weeks, but the kittens take nearly a year to attain their full adult size, and usually do not start breeding until the age of two to three. Female are thought to give birth once every two years only.

Population Trend

Decreasing

POPULATION STATUS

Near Threatened (NT)

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Population

Population threats

Habitat destruction is the major threat to the margay, through deforestation, as much of the Amazon rainforest is being cleared for pasture, agriculture, and road building. The margay’s arboreal nature, and its naturally low reproductive output and low densities make it particularly vulnerable in the face of this threat. Over the next ten years, it is expected that populations of margay in the Amazon will become more isolated and fragmented. Illegal hunting in some areas is a continuing problem, and margays are also illegally captured for the pet trade.

Population number

The global population size of margay has not been quantified. According to the IUCN Red List, this species is predominantly uncommon to rare throughout its range. Margay’s numbers are decreasing and it is currently classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List.

Fun Facts for Kids

The margay’s ankles can rotate 180 degrees, which allows it to jump from tree to tree and hang onto branches efficiently, a distinctive characteristic which also means they can climb down a tree trunk head first.
When jumping over distance, margays fling all of their four legs out, as a squirrel does. Their long tail and their large paws help to keep balance.
Only margays and clouded leopards have enough flexibility of their ankles to facilitate climbing down trees head first.
Instead of stalking prey, the margay likes to lie in ambush for prey.
Due to spending most of its time up in trees, the margay also has the name "tree ocelot".
The spots on the fur of margay kittens are present when they are born.

Margay

Photos with Margay

Distribution

Geography

Biome

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Population

Population threats

Population number

Fun Facts for Kids

References

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About

Margay

Photos with Margay

Distribution

Geography

Biome

Climate zones

Habits and Lifestyle

Diet and Nutrition

Mating Habits

Population

Population threats

Population number

Fun Facts for Kids

References

Related Animals

More Fascinating Animals to Learn About