Leopardus Pardalis

- The Ocelot - 

Emma Petersen

Leopardus pardalis

Scientific Name: Leopardus pardalis

Species Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

Common Name: Ocelot

Status: Endangered

Date Listed: 03/28/1972

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Demography

Age of Maturity: 18 to 24 months

Length of Gestation Period: 70-85 days

Lifespan: 10 years in the wild, and up to 21 years in captivity

Although breeding takes place year round, female ocelots primarily give birth during the autumn and winter of every other year (2). A litter typically consists of a single young, however, instances of litters of up to three or four kittens have been documented (in other words, ocelots give birth to an average of 1.4 kittens per litter)(1)(5). As is generally characteristic of K-selected species, female ocelots provide round-the-clock maternal care for their offspring.

Ecology

The ocelot usually exhibits nocturno-crepuscular activity, and so spends a majority of its day resting; however, daytime activity has been known to occur (1)(5). 

Ocelots have a diet that consists of a variety of small mammals, birds and reptiles (including iguanas, tortoises and snakes), but may also include larger sized prey, such as agoutis, armadillos, pacas, monkeys, peccaries and deer, or other seasonal prey abundances (1)(5). 

Description

Head-Body Length: 55 - 101.5 cm

Tail Length: 27 - 45 cm

Weight: 6.6 - 18.6 kg

Despite the fact that the ocelot is merely a medium sized felid (6.6 - 18.6 kg)(1), it is the largest of the small spotted cats (5). (The female ocelot is significantly smaller than the male, but otherwise similar in appearance (4)(5).) Although each individual ocelot has a unique coat pattern (5), several features are consistent among all ocelots. The ocelot has short fur that varies in color from creamy, to tawny yellow, to reddish grey, and is marked with solid black blotches and open, dark-centered rosettes that sometimes run in parallel chains along the side of the body (4)(5). The underpart of the body, along with the tail and the insides of the forelegs, is typically white (4)(5). The head and limbs bear black spots, while the backs of each of the ears are marked with a white spot.

Population

Native Range

The ocelot is native to Argentina, Belize, Plurinational States of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United States (Arizona, Texas), Uruguay, and Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (1). However, despite its wide distribution, the ocelot is listed as endangered throughout its range (2).

Although the United States (U.S.) contains only a small proportion of its native range and habitat (2), the ocelot was once found in 32 counties in Arizona and Texas (4). With that said, the current Texas population has "fewer than 50 ocelots, found in [two isolated subpopulations in the southern tip of Texas (1)], at the northern limit of the species’ distribution. As of February 2010, there were fewer than 25 total known individuals in the 2 populations in south Texas, with the possibility that more cats inhabit surrounding ranches. A third and much larger population of the Texas/Tamaulipas ocelot occurs in Tamaulipas, Mexico, but is geographically isolated from ocelots in Texas. In November 2009, an ocelot was documented in Arizona with the use of camera traps. Additionally, in April 2010, an ocelot was found dead on a road near Globe, Arizona, and a genetic analysis is underway to determine the origin of this specimen, although preliminary data indicate the young male ocelot was not of captive origin. Prior to these findings, the last known ocelot in Arizona was lawfully shot on Pat Scott Peak in the Huachuca Mountains in 1964” (2).

Ocelot Photos

Major Threats

Some of the most prominent threats to the ocelot currently include habitat conversion, fragmentation, and loss; retaliatory killing by private landowners; and illegal pet and pelt trade (1)(2). The ocelot is also threatened with inbreeding due to habitat fragmentation brought about by the necessity for roads and border barriers between the United States and Mexico. Nevertheless, while the abundance of the ocelot continues to be negatively affected by human population growth and development, the widespread commercial harvest and export of ocelots (for the fur trade) is currently controlled by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) and has recently started to decline (1)(2).  

• It seems important to note that although the USFWS lists the ocelot as Endangered, it is listed as Least Concern under the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.

Recovery Plan

The fundamental goal of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is to recover endangered species such as the ocelot. In order to recover and delist the ocelot the USFWS must see to it that ocelot populations and habitat are assessed, protected, and enhanced; the effects of human population growth and development on the ocelot are reduced; the genetic fitness, demographic conditions, and health of the ocelot are maintained or improved; the long-term success of ocelot conservation is assured; recovery is monitored and recovery tasks are continuously revised by USFWS; and support efforts to conserve ocelot populations are clearly established (2).

To check up on the status of this recovery plan click the following link: Recovery Plan Action Status  

If all goes as according to plan, the USFWS estimates that the ocelot could be reclassified from endangered to threatened by 2030 and delisted from the list of threatened and endangered species by 2040 (2).

Total Estimated Actual Cost of Recovery

U.S. Dollars

Priority definitions can be found under the Recovery Plan Action Status link above.

What Can You Do?

Interested in the cause? Adopt an Ocelot for $55 and receive a soft plush version of your adopted animal, a 5" x 7" formal adoption certificate, a 5" x 7" full-color photo of your species, a species spotlight card, full of fascinating information about the animal, FREE priority shipping, and a personalized acknowledgment letter to your gift recipient. All proceeds will go toward supporting the WWF's efforts around the world. 

References

1. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/11509/0
2. Ocelot Recovery Plan, Draft First Revision
http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/100826.pdf
3. Recovery Plan Action Status
http://ecos.fws.gov/roar/pub/planImplementationStatus.action?documentId=1004949&entityId=30
4. Recovery Plans Search, Endangered Species
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/species/recovery-plans.html
5. Wildscreen Arkive
http://www.arkive.org/ocelot/leopardus-pardalis/image-G56774.html#src=portletV3api