Mammals
Jaguarundi
Herpailurus yagouaroundi · also called jaguarundis, eyra
Moving briskly across an open clearing in broad daylight, a jaguarundi’s long, low body and small rounded ears give it a shape so unusual for a wild cat that a passing observer might easily mistake it for a large weasel or otter instead.
Overview
The jaguarundi, Herpailurus yagouaroundi, is an unusually shaped, daytime-active wild cat native to forest and grassland habitat across an extensive range spanning the southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, and into South America. Its elongated, low-slung body, unusual daytime activity pattern, and plain, unspotted coat make it one of the more physically and behaviourally distinctive small wild cats found anywhere in the Americas.
A wild cat that doesn’t look the part
With its long body, short legs, and small ears, the jaguarundi breaks almost every visual expectation of what a wild cat should look like, an unusual build that has fooled more than one observer into guessing an entirely different animal.
Status
Least Concern overall but decreasing in parts of its range, considered extremely rare to possibly extirpated within the United States while remaining more widely present across Latin America.
Jaguarundi: common questions
Why is the jaguarundi sometimes mistaken for a weasel or otter?
This species has a distinctively long, low body, short legs, and small rounded ears, an appearance quite different from a typical wild cat's build, which has led to it being mistaken for a weasel or otter by people unfamiliar with its unusual proportions.
Is the jaguarundi active at night like most wild cats?
No, this species is notably active during daylight hours, a behaviour pattern quite different from the strictly nocturnal habits of most other wild cat species, making it one of the more commonly observed wild cats during the day where it remains present.
Why doesn't the jaguarundi have a spotted coat?
This species has a plain, uniformly coloured coat without the spots or rosettes typical of many other small wild cats, a difference in appearance that sets it apart visually from close relatives such as the ocelot and margay.
Does the jaguarundi still live in the United States?
This species is considered extremely rare to possibly extirpated within the United States, with confirmed sightings becoming increasingly uncommon, even though it remains more widely present across suitable forest and grassland habitat throughout Mexico, Central America, and South America.