Amazing wild cats in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica there are six species of wild cats. Unfortunately due to poaching and habitat loss many of these species are critically endangered and mainly live in nature reserves or mountainous areas. On the Nicoya Peninsula there are margay cats, ocelots and jaguarundis. Pumas and jaguars, which are bigger, also inhabit the area however are considered at risk of extinction.
The largest carnivore in Central America is the jaguar. It can grow more than two meters in length. Today, this stunning feline is very uncommon and unfortunately its population continues to decline. Costa Rica car rental
The puma or mountain lion is the second largest wild cat in Costa Rica. Its fur is uniform brown and unspotted. Adult males can be more than 2.7 m long with a tail 60-70 cm long and weigh 60-100 kg. Females are smaller, 1.5 to 2.3 m total in length. This wild cat can adapt to several different territories and therefore can live in a varied of habitats in many countries.
The ocelot, also known as manigordo is the largest of the small wild cats. The ocelot lives and hides on the ground and it almost never climbs trees. It is commonly found in primary and secondary growth dry forests and it is active during the night. This wild cat feeds on birds, monkeys, rats and other small mammals or reptiles.
The margay cat also known as caucel is smaller than the ocelot. It is different from the ocelot because it spends most of his life on trees. It is the most skilled climber of all the wild cats because its ankle joints enable it to rotate its foot through 180 degrees. As you can imagine it can climb and move around treetops very easily. Car rental Costa Rica
The jaguarundi known in Spanish as León Breñero doesn’t have spots and has a long sleek body, short legs and small head. It seems to be a cross between a cat and a weasel. It is active during the day and night and it is also an exceptional swimmer. This is the wild cat that has had the best adaptation to the changes to its habitat caused by humans.
Many farmers blame the jaguarundis for hunting their chickens. However the one that usually does this is the tayra or tolomuco, which is a member of the weasel family. Seen from far it looks like the jaguarundi.
The smallest wild cat in Costa Rica is the rare tigrillo or oncilla. It is the size of a house cat. The tigrillo is solitary and strictly arboreal. It doesn’t live on the Nicoya Peninsula but on higher elevations of the Costa Rican cloud forests, usually in altitudes up to 3,200 m.
It could be difficult to see wild cats in the jungle. Most of them are nocturnal, they hide very well. In addition, they are able to smell humans from a long distance and avoid contact with them. Nevertheless, a great place to see wild cats is at Las Pumas in Guanacaste. This is a rescue center the rehabilitates animals in order to release them back to their habitat. The public zone for visitors is the one that has animals that can’t survive in the wild. Here you can see pumas, ocelots, margay cats, jaguars, among many other animals.