Margay or Leopardus Wiedii is a spotted cat. It is even famously known as Long Tailed Spotted Cat. It looks like an Ocelot. It belongs to the Kingdom of Animalia, of Phylum Chordata, and falls under the class of Mammalia, of the Order of Carnivora, in the Family Felidae and its Genus is Leopardus. It belongs to the species of Leopard wiedii.
Margay resides in Central and South America. It is a solitary nocturnal animal who loves to live and roam in the rainforest regions. It was believed that they do not exist anymore but the IUCN considered it to be of least concern. Primarily they roam in the rainforests of Mexico to Argentina.
The Margays body is around 45-80cm, its weight is around 3-9 kg and the length of its tail is 33-51 cm. Though its body is small but in contrast to an Ocelot it has bigger legs and a spotted tail. Margay gets its prey from the trees like birds, monkeys, tree frogs and insects. They really are experts in climbing trees, for which they are sometimes referred to as a tree Ocelot.
Margay has got flexible ankles, which make them more skillful in climbing the trees, there ankles can turn up to 180 degrees. Its grip is drastically notable; it has a classic grip of holding branches and taking long jumps. Margays are tree lovers and are noticed hanging from tree branches with only one foot.
Notably the Margays diet comprises of small mammals, birds, eggs, lizards and tree frogs. But it may even consume grass and other vegetarian food. Recently a Margay was noticed chasing squirrels that totally proved that Margays are more comfortable and confident in hunting for its preys in trees.
Margays sub species are Leopardus wiedii wiedii found in eastern and central Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, northern Argentina, Leopardus wiedii amazonicus in western Brazil, inner parts of Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, Leopardus wiedii boliviae in Bolivia, Leopardus wiedii cooperi in northern Mexico, Leopardus wiedii glauculus, central Mexico, Leopardus wiedii nicaraguae, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Leopardus wiedii oaxacensis in southern Mexico, Leopardus wiedii pirrensis in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Leopardus wiedii salvinius in Guatemala, El Salvador, Leopardus wiedii yucatanicus or Yucatán. These are the currently recognized sub-species of the Margay.
Margay
