Click images for larger photos.

This small spotted cat weighs between 4 and 7 pounds. Margays are found throughout South America, Central America and Mexico. Its long, bushy tail makes up 70 percent of its body length and is used for balance.

Margays spend most of their time in trees. They are natural acrobats often seen hanging by their back feet while using their front paws to hold onto objects. The margays' back feet are able to rotate 180 degrees, which allows them to grab onto branches with their back paws as well as most cats can with their front paws. Margays are mainly nocturnal and eat squirrels, rodents and small birds. Habitat loss because of deforestation is the margay's primary threat. The IUCN currently lists the margay as vulnerable.

Click here to learn more about the margay and how you can help its conservation.