The ocelot is a secretive, beautiful cat that roams the night in search of food and the occasional mate. Like many other cats, the ocelot is solitary and is only ever found with another cat during mating, or when the female is caring for her young. These beautiful felines face the threats of habitat loss and destruction at the hands of residential and commercial developments, farming, ranching, mining, quarrying, logging, wood harvesting, fires, fire suppression, and dams, that divide and flood their territory; roads and railroads, that divide their territory and can result in vehicle strike (being hit by vehicles); recreational activities, that disturb their breeding and daily activities; and invasive species, that can bring about predation and disease. After all that, these cats still thrive and are abundant enough to be listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Their population trend is listed as decreasing though.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Leopardus pardalis
Weight: 18 – 44 lbs
Length: Up to 3.3 feet
Lifespan: 10 – 13 years (in the wild) | 20 (in captivity)
Now on to the Facts!
1.) Ocelots have 2 types of teeth: pointed teeth for biting and blade-like teeth for tearing. They don’t chew their food, preferring to swallow it whole.
2.) Their tongue is very rough and is used to remove meat from the bones of their prey.
3.) They primarily eat monkeys, rats, mice, tortoises, rabbits, armadillos, birds, lizards, snakes, and even fish!
4.) Ocelots are nocturnal (active at night) and thus have excellent night vision, as well as exceptional hearing.
5.) These cats are not afraid of water and are, in fact, very good swimmers.
But wait, there’s more on the ocelot!
6.) Due to their size, they are prey to larger cats, anacondas, and eagles.
7.) They are not only solitary but they are territorial. These critters tend to patrol an area of up to 30 square miles.
Did you know…?
Ocelots travel up to 7 miles a night, searching for food!
8.) Ocelots make a loud “yowl” sound that signals desire to mate.
9.) Females have 1 litter every other year. Females undergo up to a 85 day gestation (pregnancy) and results in up to 3 kittens.
10.) Kittens are born blind and with dark fur. They become independent within a year.
Now a Short Ocelot Video!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
Photo credit: Ana_Cotta
