Endangered Animals of North America
Ocelots
Description
The ocelot is a medium sized animal that is nocturnal and is the most abundant cat species in its range. People say it is one of the most beautiful and best known cat in tis range. The ocelot can be described as having sleek fur which can differentiate from tawny yellow to reddish grey. They have solid black spots and open dark rosettes located on the body. They also have black strips on their cheeks and white spots on the backs of their ears. The parallel strips on their necks also grow reversed, their under parts are white, they have one to two black bars on the inside of the legs, and the female is usually one third smaller than the male.
Habitat
Ocelots require densely covered areas like thorn scrubs to mountainous regions to tropical forests. They are generally nocturnal and are solitary animals but can be found with others. They can be located in Arizona, Texas, Northern Argentina, Mexico South and Central America, Southern Brazil, Uruguay, and small amounts of Rio De Grande.
Food Chain
Ocelots eat many different animals such as small animals, amphibians, insects, and reptiles. Some small mammals that Ocelots eat are small monkeys and rodents. They also eat iguanas, snakes, birds, domestic poultry, and land crabs. There are some witnesses of ocelots eating monkeys and birds.
Adaptation
Each Ocelot have a unique coat pattern that helps them blend in to there environment. Even though they are beautiful they are disappearing quickly. The ocelot can blend into their environment due to the stripes located on their legs, neck, face, and body.
Critical Information
Ocelots were highly exploited during the 1960's and 1970's and about 200,000 were killed annually for trade. It is now illegal to kill ocelots and they can only be killed in retaliation while hunting poultry. The Ocelot species is slowly decreasing main reason why Ocelots are dying due to deforestation and habitat destruction.
Sources
videos from youtube
(nam) http://www.mnh.si.edu/mna/image_info.cfm?species_id=130
(ed) http://www.earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?gr=&view=c&ID=9&sp=734
(ark) http://www.arkive.org/ocelot/leopardus-pardalis/
(iucn.red) http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/11509/0