Ocelot Scientific Name: Leopardus pardalis Federal Status: Endangered, 3/30/72• State Status: Endangered

Description brush, catclaw, blackbrush, lantana, to two square miles for females and The Ocelot is a beautiful medium- guayacan, cenizo, elbowbush, and three to four square miles for males. sized spotted cat with body dimen- Texas persimmon. Interspersed trees Most mornings they bed down in a dif- sions similar to the bobcat (30-41 such as mesquite, live oak, ebony, and ferent spot within the territory. Male inches long and 15-30 lbs). Its body hackberry may also occur. Ocelots tend to travel more than coloration is variable; with the upper Canopy cover and density of females. Males generally cover an parts gray or buff with dark brown shrubs are important considerations extensive area in a short time, or black spots, small rings, blotches, in identifying suitable habitat. Opti- whereas females cover less area but and short bars. A key feature is the mal habitat has at least 95% canopy use the home range more intensively. parallel stripes running down the cover of shrubs, whereas marginal Female Ocelots occupy a den for nape of the neck. The under parts habitat has 75-95% canopy cover. their kittens in thick brush or dense are white spotted with black. The Shrub density below the six foot level bunchgrass areas surrounded by Ocelot’s long tail is ringed or marked is the most important component of brush. The den is often a slight with dark bars on the upper surface. Ocelot habitat. Shrub density should depression with the dead leaves and The backs of the rounded ears are be such that the depth of vision from mulch scraped away. The usual litter black with a white central spot. outside the brush line is restricted to size is one or two kittens. The about five feet. Because of the den- sity of brush below the six foot level, human movement within the brush stand would often be restricted to crawling. Tracts of at least 100 acres of isolated dense brush, or 75 acres of brush interconnected with other habitat tracts by brush corridors, are consid- ered very important. Even brush tracts as small as 5 acres, when adjacent to larger areas of habitat, may be used by Ocelots. Roads, narrow water bodies, and rights-of-way are not considered barriers to movement. Ocelot © USFWS Tom Smylie Brushy fence lines, water courses, and other brush strips connecting areas of habitat are very important. Historical records indicate that mother goes off to hunt at night, but the Ocelot once occurred throughout spends each day at the den site. The south Texas, the southern Edwards kittens begin to accompany their Plateau Region, and along the Coastal mother on hunts at about 3 months Plain. Over the years, the Ocelot pop- of age. They stay with her until they ulation declined primarily due to loss are about a year old. Studies have of habitat and predator control activi- shown that kittens are born from late ties. Today, Texas counties that con- spring through December. Ocelot kittens tain areas identified as occupied © USFWS Linda Laack habitat are: Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Threats and Reasons Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, for Decline Habitat McMullen, Nueces, San Patricio, Starr, Historically, the South Texas Plains In Texas, Ocelots occur in the dense Willacy, and Zapata. supported grassland or savanna-type thorny shrub lands of the Lower Rio climax vegetation with dense mixed Grande Valley and Rio Grande Plains. Life History brush along dry washes and flood Deep, fertile clay or loamy soils are Ocelots normally begin their activities plains of the Rio Grande. The exten- generally needed to produce suitable at dusk, when they set out on nightly sive shrub lands of the Lower Rio habitat. Typical habitat consists of hunts for rabbits, small rodents, and Grande Valley have been converted to mixed brush species such as spiny birds. They move around during the agriculture and urban development hackberry, brasil, desert yaupon, night, usually within a well-established wolfberry, lotebush, amargosa, white- home range (area of activity) of one Ocelot 1 over the past 60 years. Much of this habitat in the Rio Grande Valley. land, particularly the more fertile Restoration generally involves revege- soils, has been cleared for production tating previously cleared areas with of vegetables, citrus, sugarcane, cot- native trees and shrubs. ton, and other crops. Unfortunately The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Ocelot, the best soil types also and the Texas Department of Trans- grow the thickest brush and thus pro- portation are also working together to duce the best habitat. Less than 5% try and reduce Ocelot road mortality of the original vegetation remains in by installing Ocelot underpasses under the Rio Grande Valley. roads where Ocelots are known to fre- Only about 1% of the South quently cross. Texas area supports what is currently defined as optimal habitat. Most of Where To Learn More this habitat occurs in scattered About Ocelots patches probably too small to support The best places to visit to learn more Ocelots for extended periods. As a about the Ocelot are the Laguna Atas- Sub-tropical forest habitat result, young cats dispersing from cosa National Wildlife Refuge near Rio © TPWD areas of suitable habitat have no Hondo (956) 748-3607, Santa Ana place to go and most are probably hit National Wildlife Refuge near Alamo by cars or die of disease or starva- (956) 787-3079, Bentsen-Rio Grande tion. Road mortality is a more recent Valley State Park near Mission (956) reason for decline. As Ocelot habitat 585-1107, Las Palomas Wildlife Man- in South Texas becomes fragmented agement Area near Edinburg (956) by bigger highways with faster traffic, 447-2704, and Audubon’s Sabal Palm Ocelots have become increasingly vul- Grove Sanctuary near Brownsville nerable to being struck by vehicles (956) 541-8034. while crossing roads. About half of the Ocelot mortality documented in How You Can Help the past 20 years has been from road You can be involved with the conser- mortality. vation of Texas’ nongame wildlife Habitat loss in the Lower Rio Grande Valley The Ocelot population in Texas © TPWD Bill Reaves resources by supporting the Special is very small, probably no more than Nongame and Endangered Species 80 to 120 individuals. Approximately Research Program, Texas Parks and Conservation Fund. Special nongame 30 to 35 live in the chaparral remain- Wildlife Department, or U.S. Fish and stamps and decals are available at ing at or near the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Service. Be sure to note tail Texas Parks and Wildlife Department National Wildlife Refuge. Unless vig- length, size, color, habitat, behavior, (TPWD) field offices, most state orous conservation measures are location, date, and time of day seen. parks, and the License Branch of taken soon, this beautiful cat may TPWD headquarters in Austin. join the list of species extirpated For More Information The Feline Research Program at the from the United States. Contact Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Institute (Texas A&M University- Recovery Efforts Wildlife Diversity Branch Kingsville) also accepts contributions 4200 Smith School Road Much information has been obtained to its Cat Conservation Fund. These Austin, Texas 78744 recently concerning Ocelot biology in funds are dedicated to the research (512) 912-7011 or (800) 792-1112 south Texas. However, there is still and recovery of free-ranging wild cats or much to be learned regarding repro- of Texas. For more information, con- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service duction, rearing of young, dispersal, tact the Feline Research Program at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife home range, and movements. Efforts (361) 593-3922. Refuge to inform landowners and the public The non-profit group, Friends of P.O. Box 450 about the habitat needs, land manage- Laguna Atascosa Refuge, has an Adopt- Rio Hondo, Texas 78583 ment options, and biology of the an-Ocelot program in which 100% of (956) 748-3607 Ocelot are critical to recovery. the donated funds go towards ocelot or Conservation of remaining habi- conservation. For a small donation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tat, and maintenance or creation of participants receive an adoption Ecological Services – LRGV Office brush corridors connecting these packet that includes life histories and Route 2, Box 202-A habitats, is necessary for survival of pictures of ocelots living at Laguna Alamo, Texas 78516 the Ocelot population in Texas. The Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, (956) 784-7560 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Texas ocelot facts, and an adoption certifi- Parks and Wildlife Department, The cate. To learn more, contact Linda Management guidelines are available Nature Conservancy, and many local Laack at (956) 748-3607 or write from the Texas Parks and Wildlife landowners have been working to Adopt-an-Ocelot, P.O. Box 942, Rio Department or U.S. Fish and Wildlife protect, acquire and restore Ocelot Hondo, Texas 78583. Service for landowners and managers The public is asked to report wishing to conserve and improve 2 Ocelot sightings of Ocelots to the Feline habitat for the Ocelot. References Burt, W.H. and R.P. Grossenheider. 1964. A field guide to the mammals. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Mass. 284pp. Davis, W.B. and D.J. Schmidly. 1994. The mammals of Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife Press. Austin, Texas. 338pp. Tewes, M.E. and D.J. Schmidly. 1987. “The neotropical felids: jaguar, ocelot, mar- gay, and jaguarundi” in M. Novak, J. Baker, M.E. Obbard and B. Malloch (eds.) Wild Furbearer Management and Conservation in North America. Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario. 697-711. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1990. Listed cats of Texas and Arizona recovery plan (with emphasis on the ocelot). Endangered Species Office, Albuquerque, N.M. Walker, E.P., F. Warnick, K.I. Lange, H.E. Uible, and P.F. Wright. 1975. Mammals of the world. Vol. 2. John Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore. 1500pp.

Funds for the production of this leaflet were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act.

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