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Jaguarundi - Herpailurus yagouaroundi

Florida's Exotic Wildlife. Species detail.

First year: 1934

Extirpated year:

Established status: Species have populations whose status is unknown.

Estimated Florida range: 8 counties Not reported breeding

Statewide trend: Unknown status

Threats to natives: Unknown

Species Account: This small cat is a native of Texas to South America. No specimen has been found in Florida, and the evidence for its presence consists of scattered eyewitness accounts which are suspect, given the jaguarundi's similarity to domestic cats. There have also been some sightings of this animal reported in coastal Alabama. The absence of road-killed specimens in Florida argues strongly against the presence of anything more than isolated escapees. The Jaguarundi has been on the United States Endangered Species List since 1976.

Habitats: Flatwoods, Mesic Hammocks

County	First Year	Extirpated Year	Breeding status	Notes
DE SOTO	1907		Not reported breeding
HIGHLANDS	1942		Not reported breeding	Several sightings also at Highlands Hammock State Park beginning in 1979 (Florida Park Service District 4 Wildlife Database)
LEE	1942		Not reported breeding
LEVY	1942		Not reported breeding
MANATEE	1982		Not reported breeding	Lake Manatee State Recreation Area (Florida Park Service District 4 Wildlife Database)
OSCEOLA	1954		Not reported breeding
SANTA ROSA	1934		Not reported breeding
WAKULLA	1980s		Not reported breeding	St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (K. Enge, FWC, Quincy, FL, personal observation)

References

Layne, J. 1997. Nonindigenous Mammals. Pages 157-186 in Strangers in Paradise: impact and management of nonindigenous species in Florida (Simberloff,D., D. Schmitz, and T. Brown, eds.). Island Press, Washington, D. C.

Links to more information

Mammals of Texas

World Conservation International - Cat Specialist Group

Back to Nonnative Mammals

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