PAMPAS CAT  
Leopardus colocolo

The pampas cat ranges along the south-western non-coastal area of South America, in the countries of Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina and Patagonia. Named for grasslands ("pampas" means grassland), they do live in forests and high altitude regions as well. Pampas cats have broad faces with pointed ears and they have a wide range of coat colorations and markings. One variety is a silvery grey in color, with reddish bands running over its legs and body. Pampas cats can also be solid black; others are solid red with black bands on their legs, and others are a lighter tannish color with spots on their back and stripes on their legs. Pampas cats have long hair with a small mane running down their back. Individual hairs can be up to 2.5 inches (7 cm) in length. They also have a bushy tail, and when the cat is frightened, the mane and tail can both stand straight up and get more bushy in order to make the cat appear larger in size for protection.

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