The Gulf Coast jaguarundi is an endangered population of the jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) once ranging from southern Texas in the United States to eastern Mexico. In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature no longer recognized Gulf Coast jaguarundi or other populations as subspecies.
The Gulf Coast jaguarundi is larger than a normal domestic cat but smaller than a cougar. It has been compared to a weasel and an otter. Their fur is of a dark-brown or grayish color because they reside in low-light areas such as forests and thick shrubs. 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. The coat of Gulf Coast jaguarundis can be one of three color phases: black, reddish-brown, or brownish-gray. Darker varieties tend to be found in darker places, like forests, than those who are lighter in hue, which prefer more open areas.
Gulf Coast jaguarundis are found from southern Texas in the United States south to Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico. They are, however, considered possibly locally extinct in Texas and the United States as a whole by most sources, including the IUCN Red List. These rare animals inhabit the Western Gulf coastal grasslands, Tamaulipan mezquital, and Tamaulipan matorral. They prefer to live in regions with dense, thorny scrub, especially near water, composed of plants such as spiny hackberry, brazilian bluewood, desert yaupon, Berlandier's wolfberry, lotebush, Texas goatbush, whitebrush, catclaw acacia, blackbrush acacia, velvetleaf lantana, Texas lignum-vitae, cenizo, elbowbush, and Texas persimmon.
In general, jaguarundis are very secretive animals that lead a solitary life. These animals are mostly diurnal, with most of their activity taking place at about 11 in the morning. Jaguarundis are efficient climbers but hunt and spend their time mainly on the ground. They are also very good swimmers. They are quite vocal, with at least 13 different calls having been recorded, including a purr, scream, whistle, chatter, yap, and a “chirp” like a bird. Mothers will often call to their kittens with a brief purr, the kittens answering with a series of short peeps. In warning, a jaguarundi will hiss loudly and/or spit.
Gulf Coast jaguarundis are carnivores and prefer to hunt relatively small animals. Small mammals, birds, frogs, and fish are a few of the wide variety of prey that jaguarundis feed on.
Jaguarundis have a polygynous mating system in which one male gets exclusive mating rights with multiple females. The mating season for Gulf Coast jaguarundis is believed to be in the months of November and December. The gestation period lasts about 70-75 days. At the time of birth, the female will have anywhere between 1-4 kittens. The kittens will have spots on their coats between the ages of 0 and 12 weeks; however, around 3 or 4 months of age their spots are lost. At 6 weeks of age, the young will begin eating solid foods, usually rodents. Shortly after, they leave their mothers, and within 2-3 years become reproductively mature.
The biggest threat to the Gulf Coast jaguarundis is the Mexico-U.S. border fence, as it fragments populations and prevents migration. Additionally, these animals suffer greatly from habitat loss, so the Fish and Wildlife Service is planting shrubs and plants found in a jaguarundi's natural environment in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Gulf Coast jaguarundi total population size. According to the IUCN Red list, it is considered threatened in Mexico. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Gulf Coast jaguarundi as endangered in 1976.
