Fast Facts: Ocelot

-





The Ocelot :  Leopardus pardalis

Description: Ocelots are medium-sized of body length 21-37 inches with an added tail length of 7-15 inches.  The size of Ocelots resemble ordinary house cats, but these are fierce wild cats with sharp fangs and retractable claws for hunting. Ocelots have unique markings on their golden-tan fur; in fact, no two Ocelots have the same markings! They have white fur on their bellies and a white spot on their round ears, which can detect the quietest of footprints. Like most cat species, Ocelots have a keen sense of sight and hearing. 

Habitat: Preferring habitats with dense vegetation, Ocelots have adapted to a number of biomes such as thorn scrubs, marshes, tropical rainforests, mangrove forests, and savanna grasslands. They can be found anywhere from the southern US to South America with the exception of Chile. 

Diet: These carnivorous wild cats will eat all kinds of meat including frogs, rabbits, rodents, monkeys, and other medium-sized mammals. Ocelots will actually use their claws to tear off the feathers and fur off their prey before eating. Because meat makes up more than 70% of their diet, these creatures can be categorized as hypercarnivores. 

Behavior: Ocelots are solitary creatures, fiercely guarding their territories on ground when needed, although they spend most of their time in trees. At night, Ocelots roam around and hunt in both the trees and ground. As dawn breaks, they return to their dens in the trees and rest. Interestingly, this species mates year-round, with peak mating seasons depending on the geographic location. The mating process only takes a few days before the male and female separate, leaving the female to raise the kittens on her own. 

Conservation Status: Previously listed as endangered in the 1980s when they were hunted by the millions, Ocelots are currently listed as Least Concern, with an estimated 1-1.5 million left in the wild. Their biggest threat is habitat loss, although this wasn't the case half a decade ago. 

Unique Traits: Ocelots are nocturnal creatures and are equipped with an extra layer in their eyes that reflects light, allowing them to see clearly in the night, better than many other nocturnal creatures. In addition, Ocelots have very strong scents that serve as a communication device along with verbal calls. They have a number of distinctive calls that range from friendly meows to threatening growls. 





Ocelot | Animal Facts & Information | The Wildlife (wildlifeanimalz.blogspot.com)

Ocelot - Description, Habitat, Image, Diet, and Interesting Facts (animals.net)

Facts About Ocelots | Live Science

Ocelot - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens (LA Zoo)

10 Amazing Ocelot Facts - Our Planet (ourplnt.com)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acadia National Park - Info & Imagery

-
Image
  New England feels...this is what the great 17th & 18th century poets and writers engraved in stone and ink saw in their worlds Acadia National Park. Nestled in the crook of Acadia, Maine, established in 1917, and known for its sweater vibes and autumnal beauty seemingly year round, this national park is known for its stunning scenery above all else. Wintery mountains, teeming forests, and pink granite shorelines are sights to behold on their own. But as the eastern-most National Park in the US, Acadia is also the first National Park to greet dawn every day. Imagine...the light spilling up over ocean salt breeze, pouring over the trees and rocks and sea. A striking world illuminated from the inside out.  Some of these places just don't seem real sometimes. But they are, and besides having great lighting for a Instagram photo shoot, the National Parks' beauty and meaning and history means something to us. These parks, surreal little worlds that offer more than escape,...
Read more

The National Parks!

-
Image
  New Year, new explorations. I have to be honest; I haven't visited one of our 63 National Parks yet. Bing has this great catalogue of the National Parks and hotel/flight prices for each. Don't get too distracted by the beautiful photos of each park. It's too damn expensive for a college student to visit, well anywhere, right now.  So instead, I'm writing about the parks from my cozy-already-expensive enough dorm. The previous series on this blog have covered rainforests, oceans, and the ecosystems in between. Here, the National Parks are their own unique ecosystems, far more complex than being simply described as just a grassland or just  a desert. There's a reason why each park was designated as a government protected piece of land. Every park has history, distinct flora and fauna, and some beautiful crazy fun fact-esque aspect that makes these parks feel like other worlds.   Before we dive into some of the spotlights on the National Parks, I want t...
Read more

Fast Facts: Maori Wrasse

-
Image
Known by many names, including the Humphead Wrasse and Napolean Wrasse, this fish is known as a king of the coral reefs.    The Maori Wrasse :   Cheilinus undulatus Description : Reaching up to 2 meters in length and 180 kg in weight, t he Maori Wrasse is the largest species in the Wrasse family. They are easily distinguishable by the hump on their foreheads, which become more prominent with age, as well as their puffy lips. Based on the age and gender of a Maori Wrasse, its color patterns vary from red and orange to yellow and green and blues.  Habitat :  Found in the Indo-Pacific's tropical waters, the Maori Wrasse tends to cling to the temperate-coastal habitats of Australia. Maori Wrasse can inhabit all types of reefs, from rocky reefs by the shore to off-shore reefs reaching depths of 60 meters.  Diet : Maori Wrasse are carnivorous creatures that feed primarily on crustaceans, mollusks, and other benthic creatures. They may even eat smaller fish! Maori...
Read more