Focus on the otter cat, a wild cat, classified as “least concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Its name comes from the fact that this animal resembles a mustelid and the fact that it is also a good swimmer.
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Where does the otter cat live?
The otter cat is native to America.
More precisely, it is found in the south of the United States, in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and even Colombia.
The Jaguarondi appreciates primary forests as well as savannah and marshes.
But humid forests are not part of their playground. In total, eight subspecies are recorded according to their range.
The otter cat is the only feline that can live in pairs.
It has the habit of marking its territory by depositing its urine and scratching tree trunks or branches.
On average, a male Jaguarondi lives in an area of between 15 and 100 km2.
It all depends on the abundance of prey.
How to recognize an otter cat?
At birth, the Jaguarondi is spotted.
Quickly, the coloring of its coat becomes uniform.
Depending on the species, it varies between red, gray-brown or even black (for species affected by melanism).
It is the red color that predominates in the driest environments.
In contrast, otter cats with gray-brown coats are easily found in the undergrowth.
Regarding physical characteristics, this little feline has a slender body and a flattened head.
Its ears are round in shape.
Its appearance resembles that of the marten, the marten and the otter, hence its name.
As for the color of its eyes, it varies: we find Jaguarondis with blue, amber, yellow or green eyes.
Small light hairs are located around the eyes and along the nose.
The otter cat measures between 100 and 140 cm in length and 35 cm at the withers.
Its tail alone can reach up to 60 cm.
In terms of weight, this feline weighs between 3 and 10 kg.
Females are lighter than males.
Food and health
The otter cat is carnivorous.
It is an excellent swimmer and climber that hunts a multitude of prey.
Its diet mainly consists of reptiles (lizards, snakes, etc.), amphibians (frogs, etc.), birds and mammals (hares, rodents, etc.).
Its top speed can go up to 90 km/h!
This feline can sometimes eat fruit: it all depends on what it finds in its natural habitat.
In terms of reproduction, the Jaguarondi can give birth to two, three or four kittens after approximately 75 days of gestation.
At the very beginning of its life, a young otter cat does not eat meat.
It is at the age of two that these felines become fully independent.
The otter cat can live for around ten years in the wild and around twenty years in captivity.
It would have been tamed by pre-Columbian civilizations to hunt rodents!