The jaguarundi, Herpailurus yagouaroundi, is an unusual small wild cat. This slender feline, often compared to a weasel or an otter due to its elongated body, occupies a vast range across Central and South America. This adaptable predator is primarily found in lowland areas, where it navigates diverse habitats with a secretive nature.
Physical Appearance and Unique Features
The jaguarundi’s morphology is distinct among New World cats, featuring a body that is long and low to the ground. It is roughly the size of a large domestic cat, with a head-and-body length typically ranging from 50 to 77 centimeters. It weighs between 3.5 and 9 kilograms. Its legs are short relative to its body, and its tail is long and thick, measuring between 31 and 60 centimeters.
The head is small and flattened, with a narrow muzzle and small, rounded ears set wide apart. The jaguarundi’s coat is unspotted and uniform in color, lacking the contrasting white spots on the back of the ears known as ocelli. This species exhibits color polymorphism, having two primary phases: a dark grayish-black and a reddish or tawny phase. Both color morphs can occur within the same litter.
Geographic Distribution and Preferred Habitat
The jaguarundi has an extensive distribution, stretching from northern Mexico, through Central America, and deep into South America, reaching as far south as northern Argentina. While historical accounts placed its northern limit in southern Texas, the species is now considered locally extinct in the United States. Reports of the cat in Florida are generally attributed to an introduced population that originated from escaped pets.
This cat is highly adaptable, inhabiting a wide variety of ecosystems from sea level up to elevations of 3,200 meters in the Andes. Its preferred environments include dense scrubland, tropical and deciduous forests, savannas, and thickets.
Jaguarundis often favor areas near water sources and are frequently observed in riparian zones. They are also known to tolerate environmental disturbances, occasionally thriving in secondary vegetation and human-altered landscapes like reforested areas and agricultural mosaics. This adaptability allows them to persist in a broader range of open habitats.
Behavior, Hunting, and Communication
The jaguarundi is primarily diurnal, meaning it is most active during the day. This daytime activity pattern helps the species avoid direct competition with more nocturnal predators in its range. While often observed alone, jaguarundis are sometimes sighted traveling and foraging in pairs.
The cat’s diet primarily consists of small prey, including small mammals like rodents and rabbits. It also preys on ground-dwelling birds, reptiles, frogs, and sometimes fish and invertebrates. Although it is a capable climber, the jaguarundi hunts mostly on the ground.
The jaguarundi is noted for its extensive vocal repertoire. These sounds include purrs, whistles, a chattering noise, a screaming call, and a peculiar bird-like chirp.
Conservation Status and Threats
Globally, the jaguarundi is listed as a species of “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List. However, this global designation does not reflect regional threats. In countries like Mexico and Brazil, local populations are classified as “Threatened” or “Vulnerable,” and in the United States, the species is considered endangered and possibly extirpated.
The primary threat to the jaguarundi is the loss and fragmentation of its habitat. Human-wildlife conflict occurs when jaguarundis are sometimes killed by farmers for preying on domestic poultry. The cats are also vulnerable to being killed in traps set for other animals or by vehicle strikes on roads that dissect their habitat.