Ocelot: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 18:35, 3 June 2005

Template:Taxobox begin
Template:StatusEndangered Template:Taxobox image Template:Taxobox begin placement Template:Taxobox regnum entry Template:Taxobox phylum entry Template:Taxobox classis entry Template:Taxobox ordo entry Template:Taxobox familia entry Template:Taxobox genus entry Template:Taxobox species entry Template:Taxobox end placement Template:Taxobox section binomial parens Template:Taxobox end

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis, or Felis pardalis) is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America. Its northernmost occurrence is Texas. It is up to 100 cm (3'2") in length, plus 45 cm (1'6") tail length. It is similar in appearance to the oncilla and the margay, who inhabit the same region, but the ocelot is larger. The name of the animal derives from Náhuatl ocelotl (IPA /ɔ.θɛ.ɬɔtɬ/).

The ocelot is very nocturnal and territorial. Like most felines, they are solitary, usually meeting only to mate. However, during the day they rest in trees or other dense foliage, and will occasionally share their spot with another ocelot of the same gender.

While they are well equipped to an arboreal lifestyle, and will sometimes take to the trees, they are mostly terrestrial. Its prey includes monkeys, snakes, rodents and birds. Almost all of the prey that the ocelot hunts is far smaller than it is. Studies suggest that they follow and find prey via odor trails, but ocelots also have very keen vision.

The ocelot's fur resembles that of a jaguar; it was once regarded as particularly valuable, and because it was so popular the ocelot remains one of the most well known of the small wildcats. Several hundreds of thousands of ocelots were killed for their fur; therefore this cat is now an endangered species in many countries.

Futher reading on this very important subject can be found at Bovered

Subspecies

Leopardus pardalis pardalis, Amazon Rainforest
Leopardus pardalis aequatorialis, northern Andes
Leopardus pardalis albescens, Mexico, Texas
Leopardus pardalis maripensis, Venezuela, Guyana
Leopardus pardalis mearnsi, Central America
Leopardus pardalis mitis, Argentina, Paraguay
Leopardus pardalis nelsoni, Mexico
Leopardus pardalis pseudopardalis, Colombia
Leopardus pardalis puseaus, Ecuador
Leopardus pardalis sonoriensis, Mexico
Leopardus pardalis steinbachi, Bolivia

External links

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 The ocelot's [[fur]] resembles that of a [[jaguar]]; it was once regarded as particularly valuable, and because it was so popular the ocelot remains one of the most well known of the small wildcats. Several hundreds of thousands of ocelots were killed for their fur; therefore this cat is now an [[endangered species]] in many countries.
-Futher reading on this very important subject can be found at http://www.bovered.co.uk/ocelot.php
+Futher reading on this very important subject can be found at [http://www.bovered.co.uk/ocelot.php Bovered]
 === Subspecies ===