Tayra

The Tayra (Eira barbara) lives in the evergreen forests of America, Central and Southern parts. Tayras have also been known to exist in Trinidad. A Tayra is a long weasel, with a bushy tail, a long neck, with low-hanging and rounded ears. The color differs from one place to another, but in the main, a Tayra has a brown body with lighter-shaded head, and on its chest, a patch is present. They have dark muzzles, long claws that are used when they go on their climbing adventures.

What does a Tayra consume to live: it is omnivorous, they choose smaller mammals (like the rat) but they have been known to eat reptiles, vegetables and fruits.

It produces its litter (2 to 3) after gestating for seventy days, approximately. Newborns would open the eyes when they are 35 to 58 days old, and nursing occurs for 2 to 3 months, again, on the average. Captivity-wise, longevity is up to 18 y ears. They are diurnal, living in family sets. One impressive thing about them is that they are both be terrestrial and arboreal, which helps them escaping from chasing predators.

These weasels had been used by different peoples for rodent-hunting. It has been known that they also feed on sugar fields and poultry, it cannot be said that the y do drastic harm to the economic side of human's life.

Interesting fact: When startled, it would produce a barking noise, then it would rush to the refuge of the nearest tree or tall plant.

Picture of the Tayra, by Dirk van der Made, licensed under GFDL.