This cute wild jaguarundi has been adopted by a Colombian farmer who thought it was an abandoned domestic kitten.
The jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), also known as a puma yagouaroundi, a medium-sized wild cat native to the Americas, was found by farmer Elber Guzman Lopez in the municipality of Alvarado in the central-western Colombian department of Tolima.
The farmer was heading to a farm on his motorbike when he came across the wild cat on the side of the road and thought it was an abandoned kitten.
Guzman Lopez soon began to notice strange behavioural patterns with the small cat and decided to investigate, which is when he realised he had actually adopted a jaguarundi.
He immediately called the local authorities to collect the wild cat and return it to its natural habitat.
The feline was transferred to the Cortolima Wildlife Care and Assessment Centre (CAV) where it was examined by veterinarians.
It was determined that the jaguarundi, approximately two months old, was in a good condition despite slight malnutrition due to the fact that it was being fed salty milk by the farmer.
Diego Sierra, spokesperson for the Tolima Regional Autonomous Corporation, told Real Press that it is not uncommon to see jaguarundis in areas like this because they “tend to venture to places far from their mother”.
Puma Jaguarundi 
Puma Jaguarundi
When the young wild cat has fully developed, CAV experts plan to release it into the wild.
The jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) is a species of endemic South American feline that normally inhabits forest and highland areas.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorises it as of ‘least concern’.
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Story By: Amanda Morales, Sub-Editor: Alex Cope, Agency: Real Press
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