|
 |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Ocelot - FELlS PARDALIS
Endangered
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Ocelot": "Ocelot" comes from the Mexican Nahuatl word "ocelotl."
Location: Southwestern United States and much of South America.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Forests, and any area with thick brush.
Description: Ocelots that live in forested areas have a ground color between yellowish-ochre and orange. Those living in more arid areas are grayish. All ocelots are spotted on the head and limbs, and have stripes on the face and insides of the forelegs. The belly is whitish. Length of head and body is up to 54 inches, the tail adding another 18 inches. It weighs up to 35 pounds.
Behavior: The ocelot is a skilled climber and often hunts in trees, but it usually hunts on the ground, lying in wait for small deer, rodents, monkeys, snakes, and other reptiles. Sometimes it will eat domestic animals up to the size of a calf. It lives in pairs in a well-defined territory. Both partners hunt alone, but will work together when killing a large animal. It is nocturnal, and spends the day resting among branches.
Reproduction: Gestation lasts 70 days, after which the female gives birth to two to four young.
Note: The fur of the ocelot is one of the most sought after commercially. As a result the species has already been wiped out over much of its range. Urgent measures to restrict the market are necessary if the ocelot's numbers are to remain at a point where it can survive.
Go to the Carnivore Page to learn more about all the meat-eating animals.
Or go to the Cat Index to study other
wild cats.
From Address Labels to Zoo Toys... All Creatures Great and Small You'll Find It at the America Zoo Gift Shop Realistic Stuffed Animals & Animal Figurines Wildlife Decor for Your Home Animal Books, Magazines, and Educational Materials A Wide Variety of Wildlife Gifts & Apparel and Much, Much More  ↓ For Your Favorite Little Animal Lover ↓
Home Animal Research Library About AmericaZoo
|
