The margay is easily confused with the ocelot and the oncilla. It is difficult to distinguish by
its coat, which is patterned with black-ringed rosettes and elongate blotches on a tawny background.
Its fur is thick and plush. The margay is between the two in size, weighing an average of 3.5 kg. In
motion, however, the margay displays exceptional climbing abilities. It has the ability to rotate its
hind foot through 180 degrees. Thus equipped, it can run straight down trees head-first like a squirrel,
and may hang from a branch by one hind foot. In the early 1800s, Maximilian Prince zu Wied observed
the margay climbing about on dangling lianas in the forest. Observers have described the acrobatics
of captive margays on a rope strung horizontally in their enclosure. The cats would jump from a distance
of 2 m with front legs and claws extended, hit the rope at their belly region, somersault over to hang
by the hind feet, and drop back to the ground. The margay's tail is proportionately quite long (although
not as long as the Andean mountain cat), averaging 70% of head-body length. It serves as a counterweight
to aid in its balance.
in Belize, a radio-collared margay was found to forage in trees,
but travel on the ground. Based on analysis of 27 scats, the most common item in the diet was a small
arboreal mammal, the big-eared climbing rat. Squirrels, opossums, arthropods, small birds and fruit
were also eaten. Other reported arboreal prey includes prehensile-tailed porcupines, marmosets, capuchin
monkeys, and three-toed sloths. Terrestrial prey has also been reported, including spiny pocket rats,
cane rats, and cavies, but in the Belize study margays took more birds and fruit and fewer terrestrial
mammals than ocelots or jaguarundis. Margays are strongly nocturnal, with highest levels of activity
recorded between 0100-0500 hours, both in the wild and captivity; during the daytime, they rest in trees.
After a gestation of about 80 days the female margay gives birth
to a litter of one, sometimes two kittens. The kittens will nurse exclusively until about 3 months
of age and will be on their own at about one year. Sexual maturity for females at 10-12 months; 16-18
months for males. longevity in captivity up to 20 years; in the wild probably up to 15 years.
The margay is more strongly associated with forest habitat, both
evergreen and deciduous, than any other tropical American cat. Although its range formerly occurred
as far north as Texas, it was restricted to riverine forest. It hunts on the boundaries of such gallery
forests and may thus be found some distance from forest cover in savanna habitats. It appears to be less
tolerant of human settlement and altered habitat than its close relatives, the ocelot and oncilla.
It has been occasionally reported outside forested areas, such as in cocoa or coffee plantations in Venezuela.
Very little is known of the margay's status and abundance across its range. The Amazon
Basin is its stronghold. It is reported to be rare in north- western Argentina.
the
margay is fully protected over most of its range with hunting and trade prohibited in: Argentina, Brazil,
Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, uruguay, Venezuela
The margay has
been one of the most heavily exploited Latin American cats, with an average annual net trade reported
to CITES of 13,934 skins between 1976 and 1984. Trade statistics probably do not reflect the actual
number of margays killed, as margays began to appear in international trade at a time of concern over
the level of exploitation of the ocelot, and species of spotted cats in trade were rarely verified.
Illegal hunting for domestic markets or for the underground skin trade has been reported to be a continuing
a problem in some areas. It has been reported that the margay's pelt was the most common in the skin
trade in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, despite its protected status. A margay skin sold for
US$ 5-10, while an ocelot pelt could fetch US$ 50-90. However, deforestation is now the primary threat
to reduced populations now that international trade has virtually ceased.
