Misc: Of all of the felines, the Margay is most adapted for a true arboreal life. It is the only cat to possess the ability to rotate its hind legs 180° , enabling it to run head first down trees like squirrels. It can also hang from a branch by one hind foot! Size and Appearance: This cat is often confused with its near relatives the Ocelot and the Oncilla. Their coats are very similar, and like the others – the Margay’s is a tawny background patterned with black-ringed rosettes and elongated blotches. The fur is thick and plush, and their tail is quite long – averaging 70% of its head and body length. The tail is used as a counterweight to aid in balance. Size wise – the Margay is right in between the Ocelot and the Oncilla weighing between 9-20 pounds and reaching lengths of 34-52 inches. The Margay also has extremely large eyes, which aids in its nighttime vision. Habitat: The Margay is associated with forest habitat, both deciduous and evergreen. They have occasionally been spotted in shady cocoa or coffee plantations and riverine forests.

Distribution: Mexico, the Amazon Basin, Argentina, Uruguay, Belize and Brazil. Extinct in Texas, USA Reproduction and Offspring: After a gestation of approximately 76-84 days, females produce a litter of 1 kittens. They weigh 2.75-6 ounces at birth and will open their eyes at around 2 weeks old. They are weaned around 2 months of age, and captive females reach sexual maturity around 6-10 months, although they may not reproduce for several months after that. In captivity, Margays have lived up to 20 years. Social System and Communication: Unknown. Hunting and Diet: The primary diet of this cat consists of small arboreal mammals such as big-eared climbing rats, squirrels, opossums, small birds, porcupines, marmosets, capuchins, three-toed sloths, birds and even fruits. Their terrestrial diet consists of various rats and cavies. Principal Threats: The biggest threat has been the exploitation of its pelt for the fur trade, which reached numbers of 14,000 per year.

That number is believed to be greatly underestimated as it was seldom verified which spotted cat the pelts originated from. Sadly, in some areas, illegal hunting for domestic markets or underground fur trade still presents a problem for this little cat. Its greatest threat today, however, is deforestation of its natural habitat. Because of the Margay’s inability to produce large litters (or litters with multiple births!) combined with the fact that they only reproduce once every 2 years and the kitten mortality rate is 50%, their outlook for survival, both in the wild and in captivity, is grim.Hardwood Flooring Bella Cera Status: CITES: Appendix I. IUCN: Insufficiently known.Bamboo Blinds Bangalore Price Felid TAG recommendation: Margay (Leopardus wiedii). Houses For Sale Ballybunion Ireland

Although popular with zoos and private owners, the margay is more difficult to breed than other small, spotted neotropical felids. The present population in North American zoos is likely nonviable. Given their conservation status and the lack of captive reproduction in range-country zoos, this species is recommended for Phase-Out. How rare is this cat ? The International Species Information Service lists 64 worldwide, with 26 being in the U.S. Information reprinted With Permission from the IUCN Wild Cats Book.Prepare for closures, delays on the 91 in Corona this weekendPosted 2 hours & 9 minutes agoThe freeway will shut down much of the weekend with traffic will be detoured for construction at I-15 and at Maple Street.Transient attacks Hemet policeman with his own badgePosted 2 hours & 12 minutes agoAre Gov. Brown's new pollution standards realistic?Posted at 06:30 amA roundup of Inland area Sept. 11 memorial eventsPosted at 06:29 am Our main adoption program adopts cats (and some dogs through our partners). 

We have four adoption sites shown on this web site where our placement volunteers can help you find just the right companion to share your home. Our Barn Cat program.  These are cats that for various reasons are not suitable for placement into an inside home.  They have usually spent their lives outside and have retained their hunting instincts. Our Garden Cat program.  More social than our barn cats and must be inside at night.  They have usually spent much of their lives having access to the outside. Our Special Needs program.  So many cats need some special attention.  Some have lost a limb. Some may be blind or have other restrictions and need just the right home with loving people for a normal life.  With some it is just a need for patience since they have not had much gentle contact in their lives to this point. These are our Main Adoption Locations We promise to only send you important informaiton Join our Mail List Animal Outreach of the Mother Lode

A non-profit 501 - c(3) organization Diamond Springs, Ca 95619Are you living in ? You can also visitPhoto: Anne M. Eberhardt Miss Ella comes home strong to win the Beaumont Stakes.Order This Photo Jack Swain III's homebred Miss Ella went from debut winner last month to graded stakes winner April 12 with a victory in the $250,000 Adena Springs Beaumont Stakes (gr. II) at Keeneland (VIDEO). Out of the gate at 9-1 odds, Miss Ella tracked early leaders Fantastic Style and Divine Dawn from third about 1 1/2 lengths back, before a smart outside rally under Rajiv Maragh propelled her to the lead at the sixteenths pole. She scooted clear from there to win by 2 1/2 lengths from Divinie Dawn n 1:28.11 for about seven furlongs on a fast track. "She broke well and she always put me in the race," Maragh said. "She was traveling really good, and when it was time to go, she showed a big kick. She was very impressive in her debut (when she won by three lengths March 11 at Gulfstream Park).