Tayra, << TY ruh, >> is a large weasellike animal. It lives in tropical forests from Mexico to Argentina. Most tayras have black or dark brown fur, with a white or yellow patch on the chest. The fur on the head gradually turns brown or gray as the animal grows older. An adult tayra weighs about 10 pounds (5 kilograms) and measures about 31/2 feet (107 centimeters) long, including a tail 16 inches (41 centimeters) long.
Tayras wander the forests and are active both day and night. They travel alone or in family groups. These graceful animals climb well and can run swiftly.
Tayras eat birds, small mammals, and fruits. The female tayra gives birth to two to four young in a nest she has built in a tree or on the ground.
