The Tiger Cat
Tiger Cat is a wild cat of South America. A small feline, it is also known as Oncilla.
Also known as Oncilla, Tiger Cat is said to have a close genetic and
physical resemblance with Ocelot and Margay. About two feet long with a
one and a half foot tail, it is longer than the domestic cat, yet it
weighs less - in the range of five to ten pounds.
Base color of
the fur is tawny. There are many dark colored spots and blotches over
its body and limbs. Underside of the body is light and generally lacks
spots. Tail is ringed and tipped with black. Skull is small and narrow.
Melanistic individuals are sometimes recorded, usually in dense forests
where the dark coloration possibly aids in camouflage. Tiger Cats
living at higher altitudes generally have greater body markings than
the lowland felines of the specie.
Solitary and nocturnal, the
Tiger Cat is a good climber and often hunts birds. Mainstay though is a
terrestrial lifestyle unlike the arboreal dwelling of the Margay.
Insects, rodents and reptiles are commonly hunted.
Dense forests
of the South American countries are the habitat of the Little Spotted
Cat, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador,
Guyana, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Following subspecies are described on the basis of their distribution:
Leopardus Tigrinus Tigrinus - Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela
Leopardus Tigrinus Guttulus - Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina
Leopardus Tigrinus Pardinoides - Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador
Leopardus Tigrinus Oncilla - Costa Rica
Gestational
period is of two and a half months in case of Oncilla , after which two
babies on average are born. Their development is slower in comparison
to the domestic kittens. Life span is believed to be up to fifteen
years.
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Tags: argentina brazil, blotches, brazil paraguay, dark coloration, dense forests, domestic cat, foot tail, gestational period, kittens, life span, margay, ocelot, oncilla, physical resemblance, south american countries, spotted cat, tiger cat, tiger cats, tigrinus, wild cat
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