BRAZILIAN WILD CATS

The family of wild cats, broadly felidae, has three sub-families, 18 genera and 36 species. Eight of these species occur naturally in the Brazilian territory.

Felinae family (small cats):

· Hepailurus yagouaroundi (jaguarundi) - known in Brazil as “gato-mourisco”

· Leopardus pardalis (ocelot) – “jaguatirica”

· Leopardus tigrinus (oncilla) – “gato-do-mato-pequeno”

· Leopardus wiedii (margay) – “gato-maracajá”

· Oncifelis colocolo (pampa’s cat) – “gato-palheiro

· Oncifelis geoffroyi (goeffroyi cat) – “gato-do-mato-grande”

· Puma concolor (puma) – “suçuarana”, “puma”, “onça-parda”;

Pantherinae family (big cats):

· Panthera onca (jaguar) – “onça-pintada”, “onça-preta”