Mammals · Carnivora · Felidae

Pampas Cat

Leopardus colocolo

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The pampas cat — known in Spanish as colocolo, gato colocolo or gato del pajonal — is a carnivorous mammal of the family Felidae. This cat is found in the great majority of South American countries, with a range extending from the northern tip of the Andes to southern Patagonia. The countries where it occurs are Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. Other scientific names that have been used are Oncifelis colocolo, Lynchairulus pajeros, Lynchairulus colocolo, Felis colocola and Felis colocolo.

Weight

3 kg on average

Size

up to 75 cm

Lifespan

16 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

GrasslandCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Near Threatened Grassland Mammal

8countries 27parks39same family

Fun facts

GeneralWhen threatened it raises the fur along its back and looks twice its size.
It is the size of a domestic cat but has a broad face and long fur: some individuals have hairs up to 7 cm long that form a crest along the back.
Its activity pattern is cathemeral: studies in Peru, Argentina and Bolivia have recorded it active at any hour of the day or night, not only after dark.
It is terrestrial and hunts almost always on the ground, unlike other small American cats that are keener climbers.
In Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Ecuador it is listed as Vulnerable at national level, above its global category.