Margay

     From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Margay
Margay in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus: Leopardus Species: wiedii
Binomial name
Leopardus wiedii

The Margay (Leopardus wiedii, or Felis wiedii) is a spotted cat native to Central and South America. It is a solitary nocturnal animal that prefers remote sections of the rainforest. Because of its seclusive nature the Margay population is undetermined; however it is thought to be an endangered cat. It roams the rainforests from Mexico to Argentina.

The margay is very similar to the ocelot. The head is a bit shorter, the tail is longer, and the spotted pattern on the tail is different. Most notably the margay is a much more skilful climber than its relative. It is the only cat with the ankle flexibility necessary to climb head first down trees.

Subspecies

• Leopardus wiedii wiedii, eastern and central Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina
• Leopardus wiedii amazonica, western Brazil, inner parts of Peru, Colombia and Venezuela
• Leopardus wiedii boliviae, Bolivia
• Leopardus wiedii cooperi, northern Mexico
• Leopardus wiedii glaucula, central Mexico
• Leopardus wiedii nicaraguae, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica
• Leopardus wiedii oaxacae, southern Mexico
• Leopardus wiedii pirrensis, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
• Leopardus wiedii salvinia, Chiapas, Guatemala, El Salvador
• Leopardus wiedii yucatanica, Yucatan