The Alluring Margay

The Margay (Leopardus wiedii) is an arboreal cat, native to Central America. It is well adapted to life in the trees, with a long tail, wide, soft paws, large claws and the ability to rotate its hind paws 180° around its longitudinal axis. This makes it the only cat that can descend from a tree headfirst. The unusual rotational capacity of its hind paws also enable it to hang upside down from branches by its back feet (Oliveira, 1998).

Image: Photographer Lucas Z. Dolowy

During their expedition in the field, a team of researchers interviewed local Amazonian Indians and woodworkers. Multiple reports claimed that the Margay had been witnessed imitating vocalizations of their target prey species, which consists mainly of arboreal mammals.

Image: natureafield.com

The researchers reported the first ever published observation of a margay imitating the Wild Pied Tamarin (Saguinus bicolor). Over a period of almost an hour, they watched as a Margay began imitating calls very similar to that of the Pied Tamarin pups. A male member from the group of tamarins began to investigate, checking the trees for any sign of the mysterious pups. After several minutes, the Margay emerged from its hiding place and quickly approached the group of primates. Emitting a loud screech, the male tamarin alerted the rest of the group and all the tamarins escaped without harm (de Oleviera Calleia et al., 1998).

Although this was an unsuccessful hunt, it demonstrated the ability for the Margay to so accurately imitate the prey’s calls and attract them. This is suggested to be a technique used to reduce energy expenditure. 

It was also mentioned by the Amazonian locals that the prey targeted by the Margay (including the agouti and other arboreal birds and mammals) had sharp calls, similar to those that the felines were able to produce. The Margay is one of a few species of cats that use these imitations of prey to attract and capture them, and shows a special adaptation to life in the jungle of Central America.

References:

Oliveira, T.G, 1998. Leopardus wiedii. Mammalian Species, [Online]. 579, 1-6. Avaliable at: http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-579-01-0001.pdf [Accessed 14 March 2014]

de Oliveira Calleia, F., Rohe, F., Gordo, M. 1998. Hunting Strategy of the Margay (Leopardus wiedii) to Attract the Wild Pied Tamarin (Saguinus bicolor). Neotropical Primates [Online]. 16, 32-34. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1896/044.016.0107  [Accessed 14 March 2014]