Pampas cat

Small wild cat, native to South America, whose range extends from the high steppes of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia to the southern lowlands of Brazil. Its name comes from the vast, grassy plains, called pampas, that lie east of the Andes Mountains and are the favored habitat of this cat.

The pampas cat resembles a house cat in size. It measures 52 to 70 cm (20 to 28 in) not including the tail, which is about half the length of the body. Its long, soft fur ranges in colour from silver-grey to yellowish-brown, typically marked by red-brown and black spots. Long, manlike hairs at the back of the neck can stand erect, extending up to 7 cm (3 in). Unlike some wildcats, the pampas cat does not have ear tufts. Its eyes are yellow-brown.

The pampas cat hunts at night, feeding on rodents, lizards, birds, and insects. It is primarily a ground-dwelling animal, preferring the treeless plains of the pampas to nearby forests.

Scientific classification: The pampas cat is a member of the cat family, Felidae, in the order Carnivora. It is classified as Lynchailurus pajeros.

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