The northern tiger cat, also known as the oncilla, is a small, elusive wild cat found across diverse landscapes of Central and South America. This feline, often likened to a miniature big cat due to its spotted coat, navigates its environment with stealth and adaptability. Its presence hints at the rich biodiversity of its native regions, yet its secretive nature makes it a challenging subject for study.
Identifying the Northern Tiger Cat and Its Range
The northern tiger cat, Leopardus tigrinus, is a slender cat, slightly larger than a domestic cat, with a body length ranging from 38 to 59 cm and a tail between 20 to 42 cm. It weighs between 1.8 to 3.5 kg, with males larger than females. Compared to its relatives, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and margay (Leopardus wiedii), the northern tiger cat is smaller and more delicately built, possessing a narrower head and proportionately smaller paws.
Its fur is thick and soft, displaying colors from light brown to dark ochre or grayish-yellow, adorned with numerous dark rosettes across its back and flanks. These spots are often small, open rosettes or solid dot-like patterns that may merge, distinguishing them from the thicker, blotchier patterns of ocelots and margays. Melanism, or all-black coloration, is also a common occurrence within the species, particularly in dense forest environments. The northern tiger cat’s large ears are black on the backside with a distinct central white spot, and its irises are golden or light brown.
The geographical distribution of the northern tiger cat stretches from Costa Rica and Panama in Central America, extending into South America as far south as central Brazil. It inhabits a wide variety of environments, including tropical and subtropical rainforests, deciduous and semi-deciduous forests, montane and premontane forests, semi-arid thorny scrublands, savannas, and wet/swampy savannas. In Central and northwestern South America, it is found in montane cloud forests, often at higher elevations than ocelots and margays, reaching altitudes up to 3,000 meters.
Life in the Wild: Habits and Hunting
The northern tiger cat exhibits a solitary lifestyle. They are predominantly nocturnal, active at night and resting during the day. This nocturnal preference helps them avoid larger predators and reduce competition for resources.
Northern tiger cats are primarily terrestrial, but also adept climbers. They utilize trees to escape threats, move through their territory, and sometimes hunt for arboreal prey. Their agility allows them to navigate dense forest environments.
As carnivores, the northern tiger cat’s diet consists primarily of small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Studies of stomach contents from specimens in Costa Rica and Venezuela have revealed a diet mainly composed of small rodents. However, in regions like the semi-arid Caatinga scrub of northeastern Brazil, their diet shows many lizards, alongside birds and small rodents, suggesting they are generalist predators that adapt their diet to the most readily available food sources.
Unraveling Its Identity and Protecting Its Future
The taxonomic classification of the northern tiger cat, Leopardus tigrinus, has undergone significant revisions based on molecular evidence. In 2013, the oncilla population was formally split into two distinct species: the Northern Tiger Cat (Leopardus tigrinus) and the Southern Tiger Cat (Leopardus guttulus). This reclassification was based on genetic analysis revealing a high level of divergence between these populations, indicating they do not interbreed. Further research suggests that the Central American population might also represent a separate species, with some studies proposing a new species, the Clouded Tiger Cat (Leopardus pardinoides).
The northern tiger cat faces significant conservation challenges across its range. It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. In Brazil, the species is listed as Endangered, and in Colombia, it is considered Vulnerable.
Habitat loss and fragmentation, driven by deforestation for agriculture, cattle ranching, and conversion to plantations, pose significant threats to their survival. For instance, cloud forests in Colombia are being replaced by coffee or eucalyptus plantations, and the Brazilian Cerrado is being converted for cereal crops. Poaching for their fur, despite international trade reductions, remains a concern, along with retaliatory killings due to poultry depredation and vehicle collisions. Conservation efforts are focused on areas outside traditional protected zones, as the northern tiger cat is often found in unprotected habitats facing high rates of destruction, rather than within reserves where densities are low.