First News TV
Watch the margay – a crafty copycat!
Category - Science
A rare cat has been seen copying the sound of its prey as part of a cunning hunting technique.
Experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Federal University of Amazonas saw the margay’s cheeky trick in the Brazilian rainforest. It is the first time that scientists have ever witnessed such behaviour from a cat.
The researchers saw the margay making calls that sound like those made by pied tamarin babies. The pied tamarin is an endangered monkey the size of a squirrel, and is a favourite meal of the margay.
The scientists saw several pied tamarins come to investigate the calls, but a sentry from the monkey group warned them away.
Locals have told scientists that other cats such as jaguars can also imitate their prey. If you've never seen a margay before, take a look at the video below to see one in action.
Image by Getty
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