The Ocelot- Mitchell Rincon

The Ocelot by Mitchell Rincon

The ocelot, Leopardus pardalis, is a medium-sized, long-tailed cat also known as the dwarf leopard because of its resemblance to the other awe-inspiring feline. They range in color from a light yellow to reddish grey tones with dark spots on their body and tail, and dark stripes on their faces. They can weigh up to 40 pounds, grow to a length of 4 ¾ feet, and can live up to a healthy 20 years. The ocelot like most cats, are quite evasive and operate well in the cover of night. This doesn’t mean that they are not active, as they operate and hunt about 12 to 14 hours a day. With this dedication to the hunt, they average one prey item for every 3.1 hours of travel. When they are not hunting they are often seen resting in brush piles, or in between vines or roots (ISEC). They occupy urine marked territories that can span up to 18 square miles for males and 6 square miles for females. Ocelots live as lone felines and are not seen interacting socially with one another very often, but when mating time comes around litters usually from 1-3 kittens follow a 79-85 day gestation period. 

Geographic and Population Changes

Ocelots occupy a wide range of habitats from tropical forests to thornscrub and semi-arid vegetation to oak forests and grasslands. While ocelots were once found roaming from Arkansas and Louisiana down through Mexico and South America, they are now only found in the states of Arizona and Texas in the United States while still being found in every mainland country south of the U.S. except Chile (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). There are an estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million cats in these countries, but only about 30 in the United States (Defenders of Wildlife).

Listing Date and Type of Listing

The Ocelot was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1972 while also receiving the same endangered listing in Mexico. The main threat to the feline’s survival is human population growth. This has led to habitat conversion, fragmentation by roads and other boundaries, and overall habitat loss. In Texas alone, 95% of dense thornscrub has been converted to agriculture or development. One of the means of fragmentation is the border fence between the United States and Mexico, which has hampered the ability of the Ocelot to cross national boundaries and has restricted their prosperity. All of this has led to an increased problem of inbreeding because of the size of populations. The international fur and pet trade used to be a large contributor to the decrease of the Ocelot, but illegal hunting has declined because of the ban of international trade of cat in 1975 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service).

Description of Recovery Plan

The goal of the recovery plan put forth by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to down list the Ocelot from endangered to threatened status. They strive to see a single population reach 150 individuals, or two or more populations with 75 individuals, with interchange between populations. They are also trying to reach an ultimate metapopulation of at least 1,000 for 5 consecutive years. Some of the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service for recovery have been laid out below:

1. Assessment, protection, reconnection, and restoration of habitat to support populations in borderlands of U.S. and Mexico.

2. Reduction of the effects of human population growth and development.

3. Maintenance or improvement of genetic fitness, demographic conditions, and health.

4. Assurance of long-term viability of ocelot populations through partnerships, development of incentives for landowners, application of existing regulations, public education and outreach.

5. Adaptive management monitored by USFWS and Bi-national Ocelot Recovery Team.

By following these guides and combating some of the environmental impacts affecting the Ocelot, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service believes their goals could be met by 2085 because of the relatively slow growth rate of Ocelot populations. This is also expected to cost $126,117,000 in the first 6 years.

What can you do?

Its time to get out there folks and make sure that this beautiful creature will live on in a healthy and virtuous world. One way to do this is to symbolically adopt an animal in order to raise money to help save real animals in the wild. Visit a Wildlife Action Center to send messages to government leaders, or educate yourself on the Ocelot as well as other animals that may need your help to continue to survive on our planet.

Other resources

Link to adopt a ocelot

https://secure.defenders.org/site/SPageServer?pagename=wagc_homepage&s_src=3WEW1700XXXXX&s_subsrc=120216_adopt_body_ocelot/what-you-can-do

Another informative blog about the Ocelot

http://www.wildcatconservation.org/wild-cats/south-america/ocelot/

Works Cited

Https://www.facebook.com/DefendersofWildlife/. "Basic Facts About Ocelots." Defenders of Wildlife.       

        N.p., 14 Oct. 2016. Web. 03 Dec. 2016. 

 "Ocelot - International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada." International Society for 

        Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife. "No Species Profile." No Species Profile. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

Service, U.s. Fish and Wildlife. "Recovery Plan For the Ocelot." (2016): n. pag. Web.