THE TIGER CAT COMPLEX
WHY TIGER?
The name “tiger cat” comes from “El tigre” wich will be the jaguar in spanish. “Tigre” is related to Jaguar not to the tiger of Asia. Wich means, the tiger cat would be something like the “jaguar cat”. “Tigrillo” is one of the name in spanish wich means small jaguar. Everything is related to the Jaguar, not the Tiger.
FACT SHEET
SIZE: SMALL, PROPORTIONS LIKE BRAZILIAN DOMESTIC CATS
HEAD & BODY: 49.1 CM (40 – 59.1 CM)
TAIL: 26.4 CM (20.4 – 32 CM) ~ 60% H&B
BODY MASS: 2.4 KG (1.75 – 3.5 KG)
BASIC ARCHETYPE
DISTRIBUITION
HABITAT
Found mostly in critical habitats: cloud forests of the Talamanca-La Amistad Range and the tropical Andes, Atlantic forest, semi-arid Caatinga woodland/shrubland, and savannas.
DIET
REPRODUCTION
AREA REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSERVATION
Area requirements for conservation of tiger cats are very large.
High density areas: 5,000 – 8,333 km2 20,000 – 33,333 km2
Low density areas: ≥ 25,000 km2 ≥ 100,000 km2
Almost no protected area can be considered large enough to support viable tiger cats populations for long-term conservation in isolation (Mirador State Park being an exception)
Tiger cats will largely depend on conservation strategies implemented outside of protected areas.
MAIN THREATS
Habitat loss and fragmentation;
Diseases from domestic dogs and cats;
Poaching/retaliatory killing;
Road-kills;
Pet trade.