The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)

By: Chris Robles Block 1: Environmental Systems May 2, 2012

Physical Description
The Ocelot is about twice the size of a house cat, ranging from 30 to 41 inches in length and 15 to 30 pounds in weight. I chose to research the Ocelot because it is a species that no one really knows about.

Distribution/Habitat
Ocelots once lived through out all of south Texas, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Ocelots are now found in only the deep south of Texas, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Food/Natural Enemies
The Ocelots diet includes small rodents, reptiles, medium-sized mammals, birds, and crustaceans and fish; i.e., cane mice, spiny rats, common agoutis, opossums, and armadillos. The major predators of the Ocelot include harpy eagles, pumas, jaguars, and anacondas; but they are also affected by various diseases: taeniidae, capillaria, Oncicola, and many more.

Environmental Systems
Environmental systems have various ways of reducing biodiversity, the simplest way to explain is: even though all systems interact in helpful ways, they also interact in hurtful ways. There is always and equivalent exchange. In the process of trying to save the Ocelot, many different systems are involved, including the human system, which is the biggest cause of the near extinction, but also the best help they are receiving.

Disappearance Factors
The Ocelot habitats are being destroyed to create land for farming and to accommodate to city growth. The Ocelot was also hunted and killed for their fur from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Saving the Species

The Ocelot is protected As individuals, we can by the Recovery Plan for do a lot of different the Listed Cats of things to help prevent Arizona and Texas, as the extinction of the well as the Lacey Act in Ocelot, and the easiest the rest of the world. thing we can do is to leave their habitats alone, and watch for them crossing streets at night.

Citations
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/anima ls/mammals/ocelot/ http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/a ccounts/information/Leopardus_pardalis.html http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1/felipard.htm http://www.safarisamblog.com/a-brush-withtwo-ocelots-in-south-texas/ http://www.indiantiger.org/wildcats/ocelot.html