By Vet. Fernando Riera S.
The margay cat (Leopardus wiiedi) inhabits the mountains of Costa Ballena. The size of a domestic cat, it is relatively small in size (3.2 kg) when compared with other Costa Rican wild cats. It is threetimes smaller than the ocelot (leopardus pardalis). As agile as any cat, it is an excellent tree climber. It is also a great hunter, fast, intelligent, and skillful when catching its prey; among its favorites are birds, lizards, monkeys, and insects.
The ocelot, also known as margay cat is robust and its tail is very long (70% of his body); it uses its tail for balance when moving through the trees, and when its hunts from the tree canopy. Its eyes are large, and the fur is yellow-brown with dark spots all over the body.
It is a solitary animal and very active at night; during the day, it sleeps in the treetops. It is very territorial and needs large areas of land to survive. It has one or two kittens every two years.
In Costa Rica, the ocelot is almost extinct; however, it can be observed in National Parks or Reserves. In the past, it was easy to spot along the coast and the mountains. Its habitat extends from Mexico through Central and South America down to northern Argentina.
The margay is difficult to spot in Costa Ballena although some locals insist they have seen it.
«Ocelot» por Tom Smylie – US Fish & Wildlife Service, Image Archive. Disponible bajo la licencia Dominio público vía Wikimedia Commons.
INFO: Vet. Fernando Riera S. – Tel: (506) 2743 8282
