Margay - Leopardis wiedii

Nocturnal and secretive, the margays at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park can sometimes be a challenge to spot! However, with a little patience you may be able to spy them creeping through the canopy.
 
HABITAT: Margays are native to South and Central America where they inhabit tropical and sub-tropical forests. They are able to tolerate a relatively high degree of habitat disturbance and human presence and can be found in and around plantations.

CHARACTERISTICS: Similar in appearance to an ocelot, though in miniature, the margay has a brownish yellow coat marked with a mix of darker spots, rosettes and bands. Coat patterns are highly variable between individuals. The margay’s large eyes help it to see in the forest at night.

BIOLOGY: Primarily a tree-dwelling cat, margays are proficient climbers with ankle joints that can rotate through 180 degrees and have long claws and flexible toes. Agile acrobats, margay can run head first down vertical tree trunks, along the underside of branches and hang upside-down by its hind feet. Margays mainly prey on small arboreal mammals and birds, but will sometimes eat reptiles, insects and even fruit. A solitary animal, margays will roam across large areas. Young are born after a relatively long gestation period of 81 days and stay with their mother for about a year. It is normal for a margay to give birth to only one kitten, though they sometimes give birth to twins.

CONSERVATION STATUS: Classed as Near Threatened, margays are under threat from loss of habitat and hunting for the fur trade. The margay is now protected over most of its remaining range.

Margay's at the park