The Pantanal cat (Leopardus colocola braccatus) is a Pampas cat subspecies, a small wild cat native to South America. It is named after the Pantanal wetlands in central South America
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe Pantanal cat is brown agouti on the back with a little darker spinal crest. On the face, it has two transverse dark lines across each cheek. Its ears are reddish on their base, creamy-white on the outer side, and bordered with a black band. Its throat is whitish and blends into orangish towards the sides and on the belly. It has some dark brown rosettes on the flanks and stripes on the legs between the elbow and wrist. The tip of the tail and paws are black. It is about the size of a domestic cat.
Pantanal cats are found in east-central Brazil, Uruguay, and neighboring regions of central South America (Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina). Within this region, they live in open grasslands, savannas, shrubland, and dense forests, although they are specifically named for the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. They can also be found in agricultural areas.
Pantanal cats are solitary animals that live in home ranges between 3 and 37 km2 (1.2 and 14.3 sq mi). They are mainly terrestrial and do their hunting during the day. Other than that little is known about their habits in the wild.
Pantanal cats are carnivores and feed on small mammals such as cavies, ground-dwelling birds, small lizards, and snakes.
Information about the mating system and reproductive behavior of Pantala cats is scarce. Generally, Pampas cats have relatively small litters, usually consisting of only one or two kittens, and occasionally three. The kittens weigh around 130 g (4.6 oz) at birth.
The main threats to these cats include the loss and degradation of their native habitat, persecution by local people, road kills, and predation by domestic dogs.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Pantanal cat total population size. In general, the Pampas cat currently is classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
