The jaguarundi is a small cat found in the Americas, ranging from Texas down to Argentina. They are found in elevations as low as sea level and as high as 10,000 feet. While they can be found in a variety of different habitats, the jaguarundi prefers areas with dense cover.

Jaguarundis are primarily diurnal, meaning that they are most active during the daytime. With limited knowledge about this species, scientists speculate that jaguarundis generally prey on rodents, birds, and reptiles. Preliminary studies have indicated that jaguarundis will have a preferential prey item depending on their geographical location. In Belize, small mammals seem to make up a majority of their diet while jaguarundis found in Venezuela were found to prey mostly on reptiles and birds.

Since researchers are still gathering data on these cats, jaguarundis within human care have played an important role in teaching us more about this species. For example, little is known about wild jaguarundis’ reproductive biology, so most information is gathered by observing these cats within zoological facilities.