Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
The tayra is not endangered in most of its range; in some parts of South America it is the most common carnivore due to its ability to live near humans in disturbed habitats. However, in Mexico, human spread of agriculture, loss of tropical habitat, and hunting have greatly reduced populations. The Mexican sub-species, E. b. senex, is now considered vulnerable by the IUCN (Emmons, 1990; Nowak, 1999).
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix iii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Because of the close proximity of the tayra's habitat to that of humans, specifically human farmers, this species has been known to cause some damage to neighboring plantations. Eira barbara occasionally eats poultry and raids corn and sugar fields, but damage is usually minimal (Nowak, 1999).
It has been found that Eira barbara can be tamed, and is often used by humans as pets. The Tayra was once used by the indigenous people of the area to control rodents (Nowak, 1999).
The tayra is omnivorous. It shows a preference for small mammals, the spiny rat in particular, but it will eat whatever is available. Mammals are the most abundant part of the tayra's diet but it also eats significant amounts of fruit, invertebrates and reptiles, in that order. It has also been shown that the tayra occasionally eats honeycomb when it is available (Bisbal, 1986; McNab, 1995).
Animal Foods: mammals; reptiles; insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods; mollusks
Plant Foods: fruit
Primary Diet: omnivore
The tayra, Eira barbara, can be found in the neotropical forests of Central and South America. It ranges from Mexico south to Bolivia and northern Argentina and also on the island of Trinidad (Mares et al., 1989; Reid, 1997).
Biogeographic Regions: neotropical (Native )
Tayra are found in tropical deciduous and evergreen forests, secondary growth, and plantations. The elevation of the tayra's habitat ranges from the lowlands to about 2000-2400m. Because the tayra is both terrestrial and arboreal, it has been found to live in hollow trees, burrows built by other animals, and occasionally in tall grass (Reid, 1997; Nowak, 1999).
Range elevation: 0 to 2400 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest ; scrub forest
Other Habitat Features: agricultural
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 18.0 years.
The tayra is a weasel about the size of a medium sized dog, with a long, bushy tail and long neck ending in a robust head. Its head and body range from 60 to 70 cm in length and its tail length is 35 to 45 cm. Tayras have large hind feet varying in length from 80 to 90 mm and ears about 35 to 40 mm long. Color varies with geographic range, but in general the tayra has a dark brown body with a slightly paler head. Usually it has a white, diamond shaped patch on its throat. Tayras have long claws and pronounced canines. Their dental pattern is 3/3, 1/1, 3/4, 1/1 =34.
Range mass: 3 to 6 kg.
Range length: 60 to 70 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
Average basal metabolic rate: 6.811 W.
Little is known about the tayra's reproduction. It is thought, however, that gestation lasts for about 63-70 days with a litter size of 2-3 babies per season, each weighing about 74-92 grams. Newborns open their eyes at about 35-58 days and they nurse for 2-3 months. Some believe that the estrous cycle of Eira barbara is seasonal, with births occuring in March and July. Others believe that the tayra is polyestrous and a non-seasonal breeder, experiencing an estrous cycle of around 17 days with a 2-3 day receptivity about three times a year (Nowak, 1999).
Breeding interval: Tayras probably breed once per year at most.
Range number of offspring: 2 to 3.
Range gestation period: 63 to 70 days.
Range weaning age: 2 to 3 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 83 g.
Average number of offspring: 2.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
Sex: male: 183 days.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 700 days.
The tayra (Eira barbara) is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus Eira.
Tayras are also known as the tolomuco or perico ligero in Central America, motete in Honduras, irara in Brazil, san hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula, and high-woods dog (or historically chien bois) in Trinidad.[2] The genus name Eira is derived from the indigenous name of the animal in Bolivia and Peru, while barbara means "strange" or "foreign".[3]
Tayras are long, slender animals with a body type similar to that of a weasel or marten, but with the build and appearance of a smaller, sleeker wolverine. They range from 56 to 71 cm (22 to 28 in) in length, not including a 37- to 46-cm-long (15 to 18 in) bushy tail, and weigh 2.7 to 7.0 kg (6.0 to 15.4 lb). Males are larger and (slightly) more muscular than females. They have short, dark brown to black fur which is relatively uniform in length and color across the body, limbs, and tail, except for a yellow or orange "heart"-shaped spot on the chest; the tayra's heart-shaped patch is unique and is used by field biologists to identify individuals.[4]
The fur on the head and neck is much paler, typically tan or greyish in colour. Albino, white, or pale-yellow individuals are also known, and are not as rare among tayras as they are among other mustelids.[3]
The feet have toes of unequal length with tips that form a strongly curved line when held together. The claws are short and curved, but strong, being adapted for climbing and running rather than digging. The pads of the feet are hairless, but are surrounded by stiff sensory hairs. The head has small, rounded ears, long sensory whiskers, and black eyes with a blue-green shine. Like most other mustelids, tayras possess anal scent glands, but these are not particularly large, and their secretion is not as pungent as in other species (and is not used in self-defence, as with skunks).[3]
Tayras are found across most of South America east of the Andes, except for Uruguay, eastern Brazil, and all but the most northerly parts of Argentina. They are also found across the whole of Central America, in Mexico as far north as southern Veracruz, and on the island of Trinidad.[1] They are generally found in only tropical and subtropical forests, although they may cross grasslands at night to move between forest patches,[5] and they also inhabit cultivated plantations and croplands.[1]
At least seven subspecies are currently recognised:[3]
Tayras are diurnal animals, although occasionally active during the evening or at night.[5] The social behaviour of tayras is not well understood. Assumed solitary, they have been seen in larger groups, presumably of mother and her larger offspring.[6] They are opportunistic omnivores, hunting rodents and other small mammals, as well as birds, lizards, other reptiles, and invertebrates, and climbing trees to get fruit and honey.[3][7][8] They locate prey primarily by scent, having relatively poor eyesight, and actively chase it once located, rather than stalking or using ambush tactics.[5]
They are expert climbers, using their long tails for balance. On the ground or on large horizontal tree limbs, they use a bounding gallop when moving at high speeds.[9] They can also leap from treetop to treetop when pursued. They generally avoid water, but are capable of swimming across rivers when necessary.[3]
They live in hollow trees, or burrows in the ground. Individual animals maintain relatively large home ranges, with areas up to 24 km2 (9.3 sq mi) having been recorded. They may travel at least 6 km (3.7 mi) in a single night.[3]
An interesting instance of caching has been observed among tayras: a tayra will pick unripe green plantains, which are inedible, and leave them to ripen in a cache, coming back a few days later to consume the softened pulp.[10]
Tayras breed year-round, with the females entering estrus several times each year for 3 to 20 days at a time.[11] Unlike some other mustelids, tayras do not exhibit embryonic diapause, and gestation lasts from 63 to 67 days. The female gives birth to one to three young, which she cares for alone.[3][12]
The young are altricial, being born blind and with closed ears, but are already covered in a full coat of black fur; they weigh about 100 g (3.5 oz) at birth. Their eyes open at 35 to 47 days, and they leave the den shortly thereafter. They begin to take solid food around 70 days of age, and are fully weaned by 100 days. Hunting behaviour begins as early as three months, and the mother initially brings her young wounded or slow prey to practise on as they improve their killing technique. The young are fully grown around 6 months old, and leave their mother to establish their own territory by 10 months.[3]
Wild tayra populations are slowly shrinking, especially in Mexico, due to habitat destruction for agricultural purposes. The species is listed as being of least concern.[1]
Identified individuals of E. barbara in the Peruvian Amazon
Records of E. barbara in the Peruvian Amazon 1 of 2
Records of E. barbara in the Peruvian Amazon 2 of 2
A tayra from above
Eira barbara male, Pantanal Brazil
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) The tayra (Eira barbara) is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus Eira.
Tayras are also known as the tolomuco or perico ligero in Central America, motete in Honduras, irara in Brazil, san hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula, and high-woods dog (or historically chien bois) in Trinidad. The genus name Eira is derived from the indigenous name of the animal in Bolivia and Peru, while barbara means "strange" or "foreign".
