Little is known about how oncillas communicate. Young oncilla kittens tend to purr, while grown oncillas have a vocalization described as a "gurgle" which is short and rhythmic.
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
Oncillas are classified as "vulnerable" on the IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species. Their population was significantly decreased during the 1970's and 80's due to overhunting, and current threats include habitat loss, fragmentation, roads, illegal trade (pets and pelts), and retaliatory killing by poultry farmers. From 1982 to 1990, oncillas were classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. After an 11 year period as a "near threatened" species from 1996 to 2007, oncillas began declining once again in 2008 and were subsequently reclassified as "vulnerable". Although oncillas are protected under Appendix I by CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), they rarely occur in protected habitat. The phylogenetics of this species are not well established, and it has been suggested that populations occurring in the northern-most part of their geographic range could be a distinct species.
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: vulnerable
Oncillas are known to occasionally attack and kill poultry throughout its geographic range.
Oncillas are illegally hunted at localized points throughout their geographic range for their pelt, which is similar to that of ocelots and margays. Oncilla pelts were one of the most heavily traded cat furs between 1976 and 1982 and is occasionally traded in various domestic markets. They are also sought for illegal trade on the exotic pet market.
Positive Impacts: body parts are source of valuable material
Although there is no information on the potential ecosystem roles filled by oncillas, as small terrestrial predators, they may help control rodent pest species. There is no information available regarding parasites of this species.
Little information exists on the feeding habits of wild oncillas; however, their primary prey likely includes birds and small mammals such as rodents. When preying upon birds, oncillas are capable of cleaning their prey free of feathers prior to ingestion. In some regions of their geographic range, they are known to prey upon lizards. Oncillas instantly kill their prey by piercing the back of the skull and severing the the brain stem from the spinal chord.
Animal Foods: birds; mammals; reptiles
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates)
Leopardus tigrinus is found primarily in South America with a small populations also occurring intermittently in Central America. It can be found as far north as Costa Rica and as far south as the northern tip of Argentina. Its geographic range extends throughout Brazil and the Guianas (i.e., Guyana, Guyane, Suriname) and in parts of Venezuela, Colombia, Equador, Bolivia and Paraguay. There is also speculation that it may be found in some parts of Nicaragua, and Panama.
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Oncillas, also known as little spotted cats and little tiger cats, have been recorded in elevations ranging from sea level to 3200 m. They prefer forested habitats and are found in a wide variety of forests ecosystems, including dense tropical forests at elevations ranging from sea level to 1500 m. From 350 to 1500 m, oncillas can be found in rainforests or humid premontane forests. At 1500 m and above, oncillas can be found in humid montane forests that or cloud forests. Evidence suggests that they are expanding into deciduous forests and subtropical forests, and in Brazil,they have successfully populated savannas and semiarid thorny scrub as well. Oncillas can also be found in plantations and eucalyptus monocultures. Although they are agile tree climbers, they are primarily terriculous.
Range elevation: 0 to 3200 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
Oncillas generally live for 10 to 14 years in the wild, and although they have been known to live for up to 23 years in captivity, most captive individuals live for 16 to 20 years.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 23 (high) years.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 10 to 14 years.
Average lifespan
Status: wild: 11 years.
Typical lifespan
Status: captivity: 16 to 20 years.
Oncillas are one of the smallest wild cats in South America. They range in mass from 1.5 kg to 3 kg. Males are slightly larger than females and can weigh up to 3 kg, whereas females generally weigh between 1.5 and 2.0 kg. Male head and body length ranges from 805 to 830 mm, with tail length ranging from 317 to 360 mm. Females range in length from 763 to 780 mm, with tail length ranging from 270 to 305 mm.
Oncillas have short, thick fur that is light brown to grey and is spotted with rosettes that are dark brown with a black outline. The venter is typically paler than the rest of the body, but is still marked with rosettes. The tail is lined with 7 to 13 dark rings and ends with a dark tip. The limbs are covered in randomly placed black spots, and the back of the ears are black with a white spot near the centre of the pinna. The eyes range from light to dark brown. Although melanism has been documented in this species, albinism has not.
Oncillas are often mistaken for ocelots and margays. Although oncillas are smaller than both of these species, they are otherwise very similar in appearance. Oncillas are more slender with larger ears and have a more narrow muzzle then ocelots or margays. The eyes are located more laterally than those of margays', and oncillas have longer tails than do ocelots. In addition, the skulls of oncillas are less robust than those of margays'. The brain case is more narrow, the zygomatic arches are less robust, and the auditory bullae are less inflated. The dorsal profile of the average oncilla skull is also less convex than that of a margay skull. The dental formula for an adult oncilla is 3/3, 1/1, 3/2, 1/1.
Range mass: 1.5 to 3 kg.
Average mass: 2 kg.
Range length: 763 to 830 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry ; polymorphic
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
There is no information available regarding potential predators of oncillas. Oncillas are well adapted climbers and likely evade terriculous predators by hiding in the canopy. In addition, their nocturnal nature and cryptic coloration likely reduces risk of predation as well.
There is no information available regarding the mating system of Leopardus tigrinus in the wild; however, captive individuals appear to mate with the same partner for life.
Little information exists regarding the mating behavior of oncillas, and that which does exist, was recorded from observations of captive breeding pairs. Although oncillas are primarily solitary, occasionally a breeding pair may be documented. In captivity, oncillas appear to mate for life, however, this has not been confirmed for wild populations. In the wild, males are known to be very aggressive towards females, which may suggest that oncillas are highly solitary.
Female oncillas reach sexual maturity after 2 years of age, whereas males reach sexual maturity after 18 months. Estrous lasts from 3 to 9 days and decreases in duration with age. Mating occurs during early spring and gestation lasts for approximately 75 days. Males have no further involvement after mating. Oncillas typically give birth to 1 kitten per breeding cycle, but can have up to 3 kittens. Neonates range in mass from 92 to 134 g and can open their eyes between 7 and 18 days after birth. Kittens begin eating solid food 5 to 7 weeks after birth, and weaning is usually complete by 3 months of age. Teeth begin to emerge after 21 days which is later than most felines; however, teeth typically emerge all together, within a matter of hours. Most oncillas are full grown by 11 months of age and are completely independent by 4 months of age.
Breeding season: Captive bred oncillas breed from early to late spring.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 3.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Range gestation period: 74 to 76 days.
Average weaning age: 3 months.
Average time to independence: 4 months.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 2 years.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 18 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Average number of offspring: 1.5.
Most oncillas are completely weaned by 3 months of age, and young are completely independent 4 months of age. Paternal care is non-existent in this species. No further information exists regarding parental care in oncillas.
Parental Investment: altricial ; female parental care ; pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
The oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), also known as the northern tiger cat, little spotted cat, and tigrillo, is a small spotted cat ranging from Central America to central Brazil. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and the population is threatened by deforestation and conversion of habitat to agricultural land.[1]
In 2013, it was proposed to assign the oncilla populations in southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina to a new species: the southern tiger cat (L. guttulus), after it was found that it does not interbreed with the oncilla population in northeastern Brazil.[3]
The oncilla resembles the margay (L. wiedii) and the ocelot (L. pardalis),[4] but it is smaller, with a slender build and narrower muzzle. Oncillas are one of the smallest wild cats in South America, reaching a body length of 38 to 59 cm (15 to 23 in) with a 20 to 42 cm (7.9 to 16.5 in) long tail.[5] While this is somewhat longer than the average domestic cat, the oncilla is generally lighter, weighing 1.5 to 3 kg (3.3 to 6.6 lb).[6]
The fur is thick and soft, ranging from light brown to dark ochre, with numerous dark rosettes across the back and flanks. The underside is pale with dark spots and the tail is ringed. The backs of the ears are black with bold white spots. The rosettes are black or brown, open in the center, and irregularly shaped. The legs have medium-sized spots tapering to smaller spots near the paws. This coloration helps the oncilla blend in with the mottled sunlight of the tropical forest understory. The oncilla's jaw is shortened, with fewer teeth, but with well-developed carnassials and canines.[4]
Some melanistic oncillas have been reported from the more heavily forested parts of its range.[5]
The oncilla is distributed from a disjunct population in Costa Rica and Panama, and throughout the Amazon basin to central Brazil. It was recorded in Costa Rica's cloud forests, in the northern Andes at elevations of 1,500 to 3,000 m (4,900 to 9,800 ft) and in dry Cerrado and Caatinga landscapes of northern Brazil.[1] In Panama, it was recorded in Darién,[7] and in Volcán Barú National Parks.[8] In Colombia, it was recorded in the Cordillera Occidental at elevations of 1,900 to 4,800 m (6,200 to 15,700 ft) in Los Nevados National Natural Park,[9] and in Antioquia Department.[10]
The oncilla is a primarily terrestrial animal, but is also an adept climber. Like all cats, the oncilla is an obligate carnivore, requiring meat for survival. This cat eats small mammals, lizards, birds, eggs, invertebrates, and the occasional tree frog. Occasionally, the cat will eat grasses. The oncilla stalks its prey from a distance, and once in range, it pounces to catch and kill the prey.[11]
They are generally nocturnal, but in areas such as Caatinga, where their main food source consists of diurnal lizards, they are more likely to be active during the day. Young oncillas have been observed to purr, while adults are known to make short, gurgling calls when close to one another.[5]
Estrus lasts from three to nine days, with older cats having shorter cycles. Females give birth to one to three kittens after a gestation of 74 to 76 days.[12] The kittens' eyes open after 8 to 17 days, an unusually long period for a cat of this size. Their teeth erupt more or less simultaneously at around 21 days of age.[13] The kittens do not begin to take solid food until they are 38 to 56 days old, but are fully weaned at the age of three months.[5]
Oncillas reach sexual maturity at around two to two and a half years of age. They have a life span of about 11 years in the wild, but there are records of oncillas reaching an age of 17 years.[12]
The following are the traditionally recognized subspecies:[2]
Although the Central American oncilla is listed as a separate subspecies, based on analysis of mitochondrial DNA, Johnson et al. (1999) found strongly supported differences between L.t. oncilla in Costa Rica and L.t. guttulus in southern Brazil, comparable to differences between different neotropical species. Researchers have argued that there should be a splitting of the oncilla into two species, as there is a pronounced difference in appearance between the oncillas in Costa Rica and those in central and southern Brazil. Further samples of L.t. oncilla are needed from northern South America to determine whether this taxon ranges outside Central America, and whether it should be considered a distinct species rather than a subspecies.[1]
In 2013, genetic research revealed that the former subspecies L. t. guttulus is a separate cryptic species that does not interbreed with the other subspecies, and proposes a classification into two species L. guttulus and L. tigrinus.[3]
A zone of hybridization between the oncilla and the colocolo (Pampas cat) has been found through genetic analyses of specimens from central Brazil.[14]
Results of a morphological analysis of 250 samples of skins and skulls indicate that there are three distinct oncilla groups: namely one in South America's northern, north-western and western range countries, one in eastern and one in southern range countries. Based on these results, the eastern group was proposed to be a distinct species Leopardus emiliae.[15] A further phylogenetic study published in 2021 supported the recognition of a third species.[16]
The oncilla is mainly threatened by deforestation and poaching. Oncillas are killed for their pelts, which are highly prized and often sold or made into clothing.[1] Reports in 1972 and 1982 in South America showed that the oncilla is one of the four most heavily hunted of all the small wild cats.[17]
Another factor contributing to oncilla mortality is human expansion and conversion of land for settlements. Coffee plantations are most often established in cloud forest habitats, causing the reduction of preferred habitats.[18]
Hybridization of the oncilla with the Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi) has been found in the southernmost part of its range; hybridization with the Pampas cat (L. colocola) has also been found in central Brazil. Such hybridization may be a natural process, and the extent of this as a threat to the oncilla is unknown.[19]
The oncilla has been classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is listed on CITES Appendix I, prohibiting all international commercial trade in oncillas or products made from them.[1] Hunting is still allowed in Ecuador, Guyana, Nicaragua and Peru.[17]
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{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) The oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), also known as the northern tiger cat, little spotted cat, and tigrillo, is a small spotted cat ranging from Central America to central Brazil. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and the population is threatened by deforestation and conversion of habitat to agricultural land.
In 2013, it was proposed to assign the oncilla populations in southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina to a new species: the southern tiger cat (L. guttulus), after it was found that it does not interbreed with the oncilla population in northeastern Brazil.
