MARGAY  
Leopardus wiedii

A nocturnal, solitary small spotted cat, the Margay is native to quiet locations in the rainforests of South and Central America. The Margay can vary quite a bit in size, weighing anywhere from 6.5 pounds to 20 pounds, with a body length of from 18 to 32 inches and a tail length of from 13 to 20 inches. While very similar to the much larger Ocelot, the Margay has a shorter head; proportionately longer legs and tail, and the tail has a unique spotting pattern. Most notably the Margay is a much more skillful climber than its relative, and it is sometimes called the "Tree Ocelot" because of this skill. The Margay may spend its entire life in the trees, leaping after and chasing birds and monkeys through the treetops. It is one of only two cat species with the ankle flexibility necessary to climb head first down trees (the other being the Clouded Leopard). Its ankles can turn up to 180 degrees, and it can grasp branches equally well with its front and hind paws. Able to jump long distances, the Margay has also been observed to hang from branches with only one foot. Once considered an extremely vulnerable species to the point of near extinction, its numbers have been increasing.

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