World_of_Animals_Issue_46_2017

Painted leopards
South
America
Current territory range
Hunted almost
to extinction
Thousands of ocelots have been killed for their fur
© Thinkstock; Dreamstime; freevectormaps.com; Gerard Lacz/FLPA; ZSSD/Minden Pictures/FLPA; Alamy/Terry Whittaker/Linda Kennedy
Though ocelots are an adaptable species and can
sometimes be found in the vicinity of villages and other
human settlements (or even highways and convenience
stores in the case of the last few ocelots living in Texas),
there are some threats that are insurmountable.
At this time, the biggest threat to the survival of ocelots
is habitat loss and fragmentation. Home ranges for males
can be anywhere between two square kilometres (0.8
square miles) and 43 square kilometres (16.6 square miles),
possibly even over 50 square kilometres (19.3 square
miles). A loss of this space can result in a lack of available
prey in hunting grounds and make it harder for mature
ocelots to find mates and raise the next generation.
In the past, ocelots have been assessed as Vulnerable
by the IUCN Red List, and were only re-assessed as Least
Concern approximately nine years ago (having been first
listed as Least Concern back in 1996). But despite this, the
population is still decreasing.
The threat began with the fur trade, when thousands of
ocelots were slaughtered by hunters for their beautifully
patterned fur. This led to a severe decrease in population,
and although the fur trade was made illegal decades ago,
illegal hunting still persists today.
Cats of the Americas
The ferocious felines that share the ocelot’s home
Jaguar
The jaguar is the largest cat in the
Americas. An adept climber and
swimmer, its recognisable coat is
covered in rosettes, which are good
camouflage in dappled light.
cougar
Also known as the mountain
lion or puma, the cougar has an
incredibly large habitat range, from
the Canadian Yukon to the Andes of
South America.
Margay
Slightly smaller than the ocelot, the
margay is solitary and nocturnal,
spending almost its entire life in the
treetops of tropical and cloud forests.
These carnivorous cats also eat fruit.
Jaguarundi
More closely related to the cougar,
the jaguarundi has short legs and a
long body and prefers to hunt on the
ground despite being a good climber.
They are also able swimmers.
Oncilla
Resembling the ocelot and margay
but with a more slender and lighter
build is the oncilla. They are generally
a nocturnal hunter, preying on small
mammals and birds.
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