January 1998
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
The Ocelot
Leopardus pardalis
Introduction
Elusive, solitary, wary, and endangered,
the ocelot is rarely seen. Its range
includes Texas, Arizona, Mexico,
Central America, and South America.
In the United States, fewer than 100
ocelots exist—in south Texas at Lower
Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife
Refuge and Santa Ana National
Wildlife Refuge, both near Alamo;
Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife
Refuge near Brownsville; and on a
private ranch several miles away.
The species has also been known to
occur in Arizona. Listed in 1982 as
endangered, the ocelot is protected
by the Endangered Species Act. The
ocelot is also listed on Appendix I of the
Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora (CITES). Commercial trade of
CITES Appendix I species is strictly
prohibited.
Description
Weighing as much as 35 pounds, the
ocelot has a graceful body that may
be up to four feet long, including the
tail. Varying in color from pale to
dark tawny hues, the ocelot’s coat
has brown spots with black borders
that are elongated, like chain links,
and follow downward sweeping lines.
A black line above each eye extends
to the back of the head. Many people
regard the ocelot as the most beautiful
of the American cats. Each animal’s
coat is distinctive and unique; no two
animals are alike.
Habitat and Prey
The ocelot seems to prefer dense
cover but can use a variety of habitats,
hunting in the brushy forests and semi-arid
deserts in the northern part of its
range as well as the tropical forests,
mountain slopes, and pampas located
throughout its southern range.
Prey species for the cat are diverse and
numerous. Hunting mostly at night, the
ocelot eats rabbits, birds, fish, agoutis
(small rodents in Central America and
South America), other rodent species
including mice, snakes, and other small
to medium-sized prey such as lizards.
Typical Behavior and Raising Young
Ocelots sleep during daylight hours,
either draped along a high tree limb
or in a sheltered den, which may be a
hollow tree, small cave, or a shallow
depression under vegetation. The
ocelot climbs, jumps, and swims well.
According to Walker’s Mammals of the
World, a study in Peru found that male
ocelot ranges were larger than those of
the females. The animals move around
alone but make contact frequently and
probably maintain a network of social
ties. They communicate by mewing
and “during courtship, by yowls.”
The gestation period is 70 days. One
to four kittens may be born, usually in
the fall. Like other members of the cat
family, the kittens are born blind and
remain so for a week or more. Kittens
begin hunting with their mother when
they are about three months old and
remain with her for a year.
Cause of Decline and Strategy for
Recovery
Initially, habitat loss and hunting
pushed the species to the brink of
extinction. Now, continuing habitat
loss, collisions with vehicles, and
inbreeding resulting from small and
isolated groups are keeping the species’
population numbers low. The recovery
plan for the species includes connecting
the populations in Texas and Mexico
to provide a migratory corridor and
expand the gene pool.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Endangered Species Program
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 420
Arlington, VA 22203
703-358-2171
http://www.fws.gov/endangered/
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Office of International Affairs
4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 110
Arlington, VA 22203
703-358-1754
http://www.fws.gov/international/
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Southwest Region
500 Gold Avenue, S.W.
Albuquerque, NM 87102
505-248-6641
http://www.fws.gov/southwest/
January 2010
Ocelot resting against tree .
Photo courtesy of Carole Robertson, St. Mark’s National Wildlife
Refuge Photo Club
Ocelot range map.
courtesy of NatureServe
