Rainforest Animals - Ocelot

Name:

ocelot stuffed animal

Ocelot

OCELOT

Scientific Name:

Leopardus pardalis

Status:

Least Concern

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Carnivora

Family: Felidae

Genus: Leopardus

Species: L. pardalis

General Information:

The ocelot is a small, versatile predator of the Western Hemisphere. It is a wild cat that is both nocturnal and diurnal, hunting a variety of prey throughout Central and South America. Its fur has been coveted by hunters, and as a result the ocelots numbers had been greatly reduced. However, it has rebounded from a previously classified IUCN status of "Vulnerable", and is now generally held to be a species of "Least Concern". There are currently 10 recognized subspecies of ocelot ranging from as far north as the the American Southwest to Argentina and Paraguay in the south.

Physical Description:

Ocelots can grow to a little over 3 feet long, with an additional tale length of about 1.5 feet. They generally weight 20 - 33 lbs. Although its appearance is similar to that of a housecat, it's the ocelot's patterned coat that distinguishes it. Its fur is short and has spots similar to those of a jaguar, with whom it shares much of its range.

Diet:

The ocelot preys on a number of small and medium-sized animals. Its appetite is quite diverse, including reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds. Known prey species includes rabbits, frogs, crabs, iguanas, monkeys, lizards, and snakes. Almost all the prey the ocelot hunts are much smaller than itself.

Habitat:

Ocelots occur in a number of different habitats, from thorn scrublands in the north, to the tropical forests of Central and South America, to the mountainous regions of the Andes. Its range extends from small slivers of territory along the American Southwest down through into northern Argentina.

Reproduction:

Males reach sexual maturity at about 15 months of age, while females reach sexual maturity at about 18 months. In its tropical habitats, the ocelot breeds year-round, but especially from September to November. Gestation lasts for around 79 - 85 days, after which time a small litter of usually 1 - 2 kittens are born. Rarely are there more than 2 young per litter.

Rainforest Animals - Ocelot

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OCELOT