Details
Leopardus wiedii
Margay is a highly arboreal small cat of Central and South American forests. Its forest dependence makes logging and capture for pets or fur important threats.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It inhabits tropical forest, cloud forest, and dense secondary forest from southern Mexico into South America. Main habitat types in this guide are forest.
Typical length 46-79 cm, weight 2.6 kg-4 kg. Large eyes, spotted fur, a long tail, and flexible ankles support climbing.
It is nocturnal and usually solitary. It moves through trees at night, leaping between branches while searching for prey.
It is carnivorous. Birds, arboreal rodents, lizards, frogs, and insects are taken.
Small litters are raised in tree cavities or dense cover.
Declines or fragmentation make monitoring important. Its forest dependence makes logging and capture for pets or fur important threats.
