Kodkod

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Kodkod Conservation status: Vulnerable
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae Genus: Oncifelis Species: O. guigna
Binomial name
Oncifelis guigna (Molina, 1782)

The Kodkod (Oncifelis guigna), also known as Guiña, is the smallest felid in the Americas and is found only in Chile and Argentina. Little is known about this species because they are extremely rare. The usual size of a Kodkod is 2.2 kg (4-6 lb). Its base coat ranges from yellow-brown to reddish-brown and has dark spots, but completely black cats are not rare. It lives in evergreen temperate rainforests, deciduous temperate moist forests, sclerophyllous scrub, and coniferous forests. The primary prey of the Kodkod are small rodents and birds. Its most unusual characteristic is that it nests in bamboo thickets under trees. There are two subspecies of this cat: O.g.guigna and O.g.trigillo.

[edit] Characteristics

• Weight: 2.2 kg (4-6 lb)
• Length: 39-51 cm (15-20 in)
• Gestation: 72-78 days
• Litter size: 1-3
• Longevity: up to 11 years

[edit] Sources

• The World Conservation Union Cat Specialist Group
• Big Cats Online
• Oslo Cyclotron Laboratory
• Lioncrusher's Domain Animal Information Pages

[edit] References

• Cat Specialist Group (2002). Oncifelis guigna. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable