For Wildlife, Everywhere
Margay
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Hear the Margay
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Species profile
General information about the species, gathered from the sources listed at the end of the profile.
Leopardus wiedii
The margay is a small wild cat that lives in trees. It is one of the best climbers in the whole cat family.
Quick Facts
- Habitat
- Rainforest and cloud forest.
- Diet
- Small animals, birds, lizards, frogs, insects and fruit.
- Lifespan
- Up to about 20 years in a zoo.
- Size
- Body 42 to 79 cm, tail 26 to 52 cm, and about 2.6 to 4 kg.
- Conservation
- Near Threatened
Amazing Facts
- It can turn its ankles so far that it can climb head first down a tree.
- It can hang from a branch by just one back foot.
- Its big eyes help it see in the dark.
Looking After Them
How threatened it is: Near Threatened (checked in 2015). Numbers in the wild: decreasing.
The dangers they face
- Forests being cut down.
- Hunting for fur and for the pet trade.
How people are helping
- It is protected in many countries and rules control the trade in wild cats.
- Zoos keep margays in breeding programmes.
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