The tayra (Eira barbara), is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family Mustelidae. It is the only species in the genus Eira. There are at least nine subspecies. Tayras live in the tropical forests of Central America, South America and on the island of Trinidad. The tayra, unlike other Mustelidae, does not display embryonic diapause, otherwise known as delayed implantation (this reproductive strategy in other mustelids delays embryonic development and allows the female to delay birth of offspring until environmental factors are favorable, an extremely cool reproductive strategy). The female gives birth to 2 to 4 altricial, black-coated young. Tayras travel both alone and in groups during both the day and the night. They are expert climbers, and can leap from treetop to treetop when pursued; they can also run fast and swim well. They eat mainly rodents, but also consume carrion, other small mammals, reptiles, birds and fruits. They live in hollow trees, burrows in the ground, or terrestrial nests made of tall grass. Tayras are opportunistic eaters, hunting rodents and invertebrates, and climbing trees to get eggs and honey. In Central Brazil they are called Papa Mel (honey eater). They are attracted to fruit and can be found raiding orchards. 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. Tayras are playful and easily tamed. Indigenous people, who often refer to the tayra as cabeza del viejo, or old mans head, due to their wrinkled facial skin, have kept them as household pets to control vermin. Sometimes, they attack domestic animals, such as chickens. Wild tayra populations are slowly shrinking, especially in Mexico, due to habitat destruction for agricultural purposes. The species as a whole is listed as a Least Concern species; subspecies have not been evaluated by the IUCN.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Dec 2014 06:25:32 +0000
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