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Jaguarundi

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iJaguarundi

Conservation status

Image:Status iucn3.1 LC.svg
Least Concern (LC)

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Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Felidae
Subfamily:	Felinae
Genus:	Herpailurus
Species:	H. yaguarondi

Binomial name

Herpailurus yaguarondi
(Lacépède, 1809)

The Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi or sometimes Puma yaguarondi, Felis yaguarondi in older sources) is a medium-sized Central and South American wild cat: average length 65 cm (30 inches) with 45 cm (20 in) of tail. It has short legs and an appearance somewhat like an otter; the ears are short and rounded. The coat is unspotted, uniform in color, and varying from blackish to brownish gray (gray phase) or from foxy red to chestnut (red phase). The two color phases were once thought to represent two distinct species; the gray one called "jaguarundi", and the red one called "eyra". However, these are the same species and both color phases may be found in the same litter. Their coats have no markings except for spots at birth. These cats are closely related to puma as evident by their similar genetic structure and chromosome count.

Their habitat is lowland brush areas close to a source of running water. They occasionally inhabit dense tropical areas as well. They are crepuscular and nocturnal depending on location. These cats are comfortable in trees, but prefer to hunt on the ground. They prey upon fish, small mammals, reptiles and birds.

The litter consists of one to four kittens. They are raised socially after a 70-day gestation. The kittens become mature at approximately 2 years of age.

These cats are not particularly sought after for their fur, but they are suffering decline and extinction due to loss of habitat.

Subspecies:

Herpailurus yaguarondi armeghinoi, Western Argentina
Herpailurus yaguarondi cacomitli, South Texas and eastern Mexico
Herpailurus yaguarondi eyra, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina
Herpailurus yaguarondi fossata, southern Mexico to Honduras
Herpailurus yaguarondi melantho, Peru and Brazil
Herpailurus yaguarondi panamensis, Nicaragua to Ecuador
Herpailurus yaguarondi tolteca, Arizona and western Mexico
Herpailurus yaguarondi yagouaroundi, Guyana and Amazon Rainforest

Jaguarundi have been sighted around the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana [1].

[edit] References

Cat Specialist Group (2002). Herpailurus yaguarondi. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern