Tayra (Eira barbara)

Description:

Owlet Lodge, Abra Patricia, Amazonas dept., Peru. We saw several Tayras in our travels, the first ones in the Amazon, and then several at Owlet Lodge in northern Peru, at a much higher altitude in the Andes. It is a member of the Weasel family (Mustelidae), and can become quite tame around human habitation. They are generally diurnal, and den in tree hollows or burrows, and will eat just about anything from fruit to birds' eggs, and will raid beehives. This one was feeding on banana put out at Owlet Lodge to attract tanagers and other fruit-eating birds.