A video published by the Facebook group “Mamíferos Costa Rica” shows the sighting of an exceptional eyra cat in the canton of Acosta. The feline, also known as puma yagoarundi, is a hard-to-see species. Unfortunately, deforestation has reduced the population of these animals in the country.
Currently, the species is on the “Less Worrying” Red List of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). This is the only feline in Costa Rica that stays active during the day. It is also called small mountain lion or Tigrillo.
It’s usually mistaken for a puma. Nevertheless, their coat does not have spots or stripes. The animals usually weigh between 4.5 to 9 kilos (10 to 20 pounds), their body has a length of between 55 to 77 centimeters (22 to 30 inches) and their tail measures 33 to 60 centimeters (13 to 23 inches).
Because of the need for large territories, experts believe that in addition to immense reserves such as the Amazon basin, there are no protected areas large enough to allow the possibility of yagoarundi populations in the future.
They can be found from Mexico to southern Brazil, including Paraguay, Uruguay and central Argentina. It is usually in low lands but in Colombia it has been reported that they live in forests up to 3,200 meters high.