Gentle Eyes, Sharp Claws of the Tayra

From Terry Martin

This is the first tayra I have ever seen in the wild. The tayra is an omnivorous mammal like a honey badger. It's found in parts of Central and South America. I was fortunate to observe it in Mashpi Amagusa, a nature reserve in Ecuador, and I was just captivated by its expression when it looked at me.

Tayra are long mustelids, somewhere between a marten and a wolverine.

They are dark brown to black except for an orange chest spot. Each individual's spot is in different and can often be used to identify distinct tayra.