Known in Spanish as el tigrillo or ocelote, Leopardus pardalis is a neotropical cat that roams forests, scrublands, and savannas from South America northwards into the southern US. This spotted wildcat is roughly twice the size of a housecat, weighing up to 35 lbs. The ocelot is much smaller than the other spotted cat of the region, the jaguar. Ocelots are also distinguishable by having spots arranged in rows or chainlike pattern. Jaguars have distinct rosette patterns.
Ocelot Facts:
- Ocelots hunt on the ground and in trees
- Eat small animals like rodents, rabbits, small deer, peccaries, birds, reptiles, and fish
- Its territory can be as large as 20 square miles
- Female ocelots have litters with 2-3 kittens
See other mammals that roam the Sky Islands here and come join us to celebrate wildlife at the border on October 5, 2019 at our Celebration of Crossborder Cats at Coronado Memorial from 10am to 4pm.
Ocelot Fact Sources:
- National Geographic
- SIA tracking information
- IUCN
- Diversity Web