Species Hang in the Balance

BINOMIAL NAME:

Leopardus Geoffroyic

ANATOMICAL PROPORTIONS:

27-45 inches long (tip-to-tail)/ 6-10 inches tall/ 4-9 lbs.

POPULATION (APPROXIMATE):

Insufficient Data

CONSERVATION STATUS:

NEAR THREATENED

DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT:

Grasslands, woodlands, and deserts across the Andes, Pampas and Grand Chaco regions of southern and central South America

DIET:

Small lizards, insects, rodents, frogs, and fish

SPECIES THREATS:

The Geoffroy's cat has few natural predators, yet its greatest threat is human encroachment, loss of habitat, and the the fur trade. It is estimated that in the last decade, up to 55,000 Geoffroy pelts were traded on the black market, per year.

Geoffroy's cat is also trapped and sold as a popular exotic pet, all over the world.

UNIQUE FACTS:

The Geoffroy's cat has large, saucer-like eyes, which vary in color from a deep, golden brown to a greyish-green hue; its pelt also varies, depending on its habitat.

A good climber, and a surprisingly good swimmer, the Geoffroy's cat can easily get itself across rivers up to 100 feet wide.

Geoffroys have a quirky habit of standing on their hind legs, using the tail for balance (and for what purpose, remains unclear).

Though it spends much of its time on the ground, the Geoffroy's cat typically prefers to eat its kills up in a tree.

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