Anyone ever seen a jaguarundi in the wild?

Saw the mountain lion topic posted here and made me think about Jaguarundis as well. I've seen one in person in Carrizo Springs, TX - about 75 yards away from me about 10 years ago. Was walking at the ranch with my dog and we were downwind...it walked across the road in front of us and it never looked our direction. We decided to turn and head back to the house. I had never seen one and wasn't quite sure what I was looking at. After I got back to my computer, I was able to verify it. Other neighbors around that area had been seeing them. Hadn't heard much about them until my dad saw 2 (or the same one) over the course of 2 days this last December.

Here's what they look like...some people don't even know they exist, when I mention them:

very likely what I saw this past hunting season SW from Ozona.

Never even heard of them. Interesting animal. How big were the ones you saw? Wikipedia makes it seem like they don't get very big. About the size of a medium size bobcat or so.

Cool looking!

Never seen one, but have seen two Ocelots in the wild. Also in South Texas.

Duck_Hunter - I would probably venture to say that the one I saw 10 years ago was between 30-40 pounds. My dad was thinking the one(s) he saw were about the same in weigh. They were all bigger than a bobcat, that's for sure - but very long/slim bodies. The length of the tails were remarkable, as we both recall.

fouzman - We had a guy on our ranch that swears he saw an ocelot walk under his blind about 5 years ago. He watched it for a few minutes. He described it and then we looked it up and he was very excited to find out how rare the sighting was. No one had seen any since then.

We've also been seeing a lot of badgers in the last few years. Seems that once a decade some newer species come through the area that haven't been seen in the area in a while. The bright green jay like birds showed up about 8 years ago, and they have stayed and flourished!



About the Gulf Coats Jaguarundis:

This cat is larger than a normal domestic cat, but smaller than a puma. It has been compared to a weasel and otter. Their fur is of a dark-brown or grayish color because they reside in low-light areas such as forests and thick shrubs.[3][5] Their otter-like appearance is shown in their short legs and long, flat tails. The weasel-like appearance stems from having a small, flat head, short, round ears and a long slender body. Their body size can reach up to 77 centimeters and their tail up to 60 centimeters in length. Their average weight is about 6 kilograms.[4]

The Gulf Coast jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli) is a subspecies of jaguarundi that ranges from southern Texas in the United States south to Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico.[6] This cat looks like a large weasel or otter with a coat in one of three color phases: black, reddish-brown or brownish-gray.[7] Darker varieties tend to be found in darker places, like forests, than those who are lighter in hue, which prefer more open areas.[8]

George, we saw those two Ocelots pretty frequently over a period of two years. Haven't seen them since. Guess they died. We also have quite a few badgers.

More people have seen the black panthers that do not exist than the jaguarundis that do!

True that... ^^^

very nice pic

I have had the opportunity to see a jaguarundi in the wild about 20yrs ago on a ranch in Medina County. I was also told at that time do not mention my sighting to anyone, I guess keeping the secret for 20yrs was pretty darn good!

Interesting that you post an excerpt from an article that says they weigh on average 6kg (roughly 13 lbs), and in the same post you claim the ones you you and your dad saw were 30-40 lbs? That sure doesn't add up.

TTUHunter - didn't realize that was what the article said...I was just copying and pasting one of the first articles i found to give people some basic info. Seemed to be varying reports on their weight. On the TPWD site, it reads: "The Jaguarundi is a small, slender- bodied, unspotted cat, slightly larger than a domestic cat (7-22 pounds). Jaguarundis are characterized by slender, elongated bodies, small flattened heads, and long tails (11-24 inches) more reminiscent of an otter or weasel than a cat. Other characteristics include short legs standing at a height of 11 inches at the shoulder; and short, rounded, widely spaced ears. There are three color phases: black, reddish-brown and a brownish- gray."

The other TWPD site showing all the big cats of Texas says it is twice the size of a house cat. Another site mentions 25-35 pounds. So, not really sure what to say. I'm no expert. I've actually never weighed a cat before in my life, so maybe I'm off by ten pounds. It was bigger than a bobcat, as I mentioned...that's the closest wild cat I can make a reference to.

I'd say you did good!

If you do a google search you get summaries like these which can be a bit misleading if you don't actually click on the information...



What is really funny is that you have to click the link. The 25-35 lbs is actually referencing Straffordshire Bull Terrier weight average. http://carnivoraforum.com/topic/9396346/7/

Or you find this...


And when you click the link, you actually find out the weight is for an ocelot. http://edensinferno.com/archive/index.php/t-385.html

There are a couple of others, but when you go into the actual sites, the information is for something other than a jaguarundi.

I don't actually see any sites saying that jaguarundis get up to 35 lbs.

Gotcha - well, I guess next time I see one, I'll lasso it and weigh it and get back with everyone.

from TPWD, whose information is reliable.


Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yaguarondi)
Photograph of the Jaguarundi

TPWD ©

Texas Status
Endangered
U.S. Status
Endangered, Listed 6/14/1976
Description
Jaguarundi is slightly larger than a domestic cat, weighing 8 - 16 pounds. Their coat is a solid color; either rusty-brown or charcoal gray.


http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/wild/species/jag/

Saw one in NW Travis county about a year ago. It was in the Crystal Falls neighborhood in Leander.

Maybe you really saw a baby black panther since the cat was so much bigger than a jaguarundi.

Seen one in Van Horn Texas few years back near the Mexico border. Cool sight

Yep saw one at the ranch about 2 months ago in hidalgo county. They have signs everywhere in that area for em. Was about the size of a bobcat. We were hunting pigs thought it was a solid colored bobcat at first then glassed it and had no clue. Looked up what it looked like and figured it out. First time seeing one and ive spent my life in that area. Ive seen mountain lions on our place more than them.

have seen them in Refugio a few times, at first wasnt sure what I was seeing so had to do some research to find out

Maybe based on coloring those "black panthers" may have been jaguarondi sighting..and people over estimated the size. Just a thought.

Seen one down by El Indio back in the early 80's.

Seen one on the old Meacum ranch between Laredo and San Ygnacio in mid 1980s by the runway strip outside the high fence. Don't look a lot bigger than a big domestic house cat. Pretty cool to see.

We saw one at the El Escondido Ranch close to Freer about 10 years ago on a night hog hunt!

If I ever saw one I would probably just think it was a feral cat. My daughters house cat is 17 pounds, about the size of a larger jaguarundi, but a bigger head.

I saw two while bow hunting about 40 miles west of Freer. That was in 1993 and I had no idea what they were until I showed the local rancher the tracks and described them.

If you're in the Hill country and think you've seen one, it probably wasn't one. Their ranges are south Texas into Ole Mexico...They look like a larger house cat with longer tail and finer fur like a panther.

My grand pa who was born in 1910 used to tell us about them back in the day and referred to the as "wild cats". Guess the reason for folks not mentioning any citings on jaguarundi and ocelots was due to the Feds coming in an taking the land so as to protect them.

Isnt that an East Tx critter?

Saw one in Duval County years ago hunting with my first wife. This one was black or near black in color. She thought it was a monkey with that long curled tail. Pretty neat critters.