Ocelot

Why in News?

Recently, fewer than 100 ocelots in the United States are feline species which are in the face of extinction.

A feline is a member of the cat family Felidae, which includes lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards, pumas, and lynxes.

Ocelot – It is a medium-sized wildcat, which is twice the size of the average house cat.
Scientific Name – Leopardus Pardalis.
Habitat – Tropical and subtropical rainforests, mangrove swamps, savannas, semi-arid thorn scrub, brushlands, tree branches, or inside a hollow tree.
Distribution – Found in Mexico, Central America and Northern Argentina in South America.
Morphology – It has beautiful fur coats covered with a pattern of rosettes, stripes & spots, and fur is golden with black or dark brown doughnut-shaped spots that are tan in the middle.
Eyes have a layer that reflects light, the neck and belly are white, rounded ears, and a short tail ringed with black or black bars.

Sexual dimorphism – Male is slightly lighter and longer than female.
Behaviour – It is a typically solitary and nocturnal cat.
It is good swimmer, climber & jumper.
They communicate with each other using body language, scent marking, and vocalizations.
Diet – Feed on rabbits, rodents, iguanas, fish, frogs, crabs, snakes, lizards, baby peccaries, young deer, monkeys or birds.
Threats:
- Hunted for their fur or skins.
- Human encroachment, large cities being built and roadways.
Conservation status
- IUCN – Least Concern.
- CITES – Appendix I.(Species that are the most endangered)

Ocelot subspecies, known as the Texas ocelot (Leopardus pardalis albescens), is endangered.