The Margay is an awe-inspiring spotted cat that originates from Central and South America, and loves to roam around the dense rainforests. Its appearance is similar to the Ocelot, its relative. However, it stands out for its impressive ability to climb trees, which makes it one of the most nimble arboreal felines on earth.
The Margay is a petite wild cat that likes to hunt under the cloak of darkness, just like the Sand Cat. This solitary animal has a weight range of 6 to 20 pounds (2-9 kg) and a body length matching its tail. The Margay has many physical features that make it an exceptional tree climber. Its flexible joints, long legs, and lengthy tail allow it to move around the tree branches with ease and agility. To stay safe from predators, they prefer to remain in the trees. Additionally, their tail helps them balance and makes it effortless for them to leap from one branch to another. Remarkably, the Margay can hang by its hind legs like primates and turn its ankles 180 degrees outwards to cling to two feet while using its front legs to reach out for food. Margays have large, round eyes that provide excellent night vision and glow brightly at night when they hunt. They are elusive creatures that prefer to live in remote areas with fewer people and feed on a variety of animals such as rats, birds, opossums, monkeys, squirrels, and insects.
These majestic wild cats are renowned for their impressive longevity of up to two decades in captivity.
