Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis

Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis. Cat photographed within the confines of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, Arizona, February, 2022.

The Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis, is a member of the Felidae family of cats. The Felidae Family consists of forty members placed in fourteen genera and two subfamilies. There are eight species in the Leopardus genus, which are distributed throughout Central and South America. While there were once ten subspecies of Ocelot recognized, only two subspecies remain today due to morphological and geographic differences. The Ocelot is also known as the “Ghost Cat”, due to its secretive nature, and in Mexico as Gato Onza, Ocelote and Tigrillo.

Ocelots have a short and sleek pelage that varies in color dorsally from off-white, to tawny-yellow, to reddish-gray depending upon their habitat. Their ventral pelage is white in color with a few dark spots. They are marked with dark streaks, blotches, or rosettes arranged in small clusters that tend to run in parallel, horizontal chains. Their faces are distinctly marked, allowing for easy recognition of individuals. They have parallel stripes running down the nape of their neck, black-bordered spots along their shoulders and back, and 1 to 2 dark stripes on the medial sides of their legs. The posterior side of their rounded ears are black with a white spot in the center. Ocelots measure 76 cm (2 feet 6 inches) to 1.02 m (3 feet 4 inches) in snout-to-vent length and stand 40 cm (16 inches) to 50 cm (20 inches) tall at the shoulders. They weigh between 11 kg (24 lbs) to 16 kg (35 lbs). They are sexually dimorphic with the males being larger than the females. Their tails are 25 cm (10 inches) to 41 cm (16 inches) in length, and are marked with black rings or bars. They have broad and short feet with 5 digits on their front limbs and 4 digits on their hind limbs, each equipped with sharp claws. 

Ocelots are primarily solitary and travel alone, sometimes forming loose associations with conspecifics in adjacent territories. When resting, adults typically remain at least 600 m (0.4 miles) to 1,200 m (0.8 miles) apart. They are highly territorial and form home ranges between 2 square km (0.8 square miles) and 31 square km (12.0 square miles) depending upon their habitat. Male home ranges are generally larger than female home ranges and do not overlap with those of other males. However, male ranges tend to overlap with those of several females, as in many other mammalian species. Territorial boundaries and trails are marked by both males and females using visual and olfactory signals including claw marks, urine, and feces. Ocelots are polygynous, with one male mating with several females that overlap his territory. During estrus, females attract potential mates by producing loud yowls, similar to those produced by a cat. Both males and females display several courtship behaviors including rubbing cheeks, shoulders, and flanks. They engage in sniffing, and the pair may pounce together in play. After mating pairs are formed, Ocelots copulate between 5 and 10 times per day. The likelihood of conception per estrus, which lasts approximately 5 days, is 0.6. Ocelots lack seasonal breeding in the wild, however, birthing peaks during autumn and winter have been reported in the northern parts of their range. Once pregnant, females create a den in thick brush where parturition occurs. Gestation lasts approximately 79 to 85 days, and litter sizes range from 1 to 3 kittens. The kittens are altricial, being born blind and helpless, and weigh between 200 g (7 oz) and 400 g (14 oz) at birth. Parental care is provided by the female, who nurses her young  until they are about 6 weeks old. A few months after birth, the juveniles begin to observe their mother during hunts. At 8 to 10 months of age, they reach adult size. Mother’s may tolerate their young within their home range until they are about 2 years old. At this time, the juveniles must disperse and establish their own territories. Female Ocelots reach sexual maturity at 18 to 22 months of age and may breed until they are 13 years old, producing one litter approximately every 2 years. Male Ocelots may become sexually mature as early as 15 months of age, however, spermatogenesis typically begins after 30 months. Research suggests that sexual maturation in males may be related to territory acquisition. Ocelots have live spans of seven to ten years in the wild and up to twenty-one years in captivity. 

Ocelots are nocturnal and crepuscular, spending their days sleeping in hollow trees, amidst thick vegetation, or on branches. They often become active 1 to 2 hours before dark, and remain active for over 12 hours. During this time, they can travel between 1.8 km (1.1 miles) and 6.7 km (4.2 miles), with males traveling nearly twice as far as females. Although terrestrial, Ocelots are skilled at climbing, jumping, and swimming. They have keen senses of smell and vision, which they use to locate, track, and approach prey. Additionally, they possess acute binocular vision that is well-developed for hunting at night. Ocelots are highly skilled hunters in the trees, on the ground, and in water. They walk slowly along trails in search of food, or use a sit and wait method of hunting. Occasionally, they may hide for up to an hour waiting for prey to pass. They are highly adaptable, generalist predators and consume birds, crustaceans, fish, mammals, and reptiles. Their primary prey consists of nocturnal species including Agoutis, Armadillos, Cane Mice, Opossums and Spiny Rats. Although most of their prey weighs less than 1 to 3% of their body weight, Ocelots also consume larger prey such as Lesser Anteaters, Red Brocket Deer, Squirrel Monkeys, and Land Tortoises. In turn, they are occasionally preyed upon by Anacondas, Harpy Eagles, Pumas, and Jaguars. Many of the characteristics that make them excellent predators, such as their camouflage and keen senses, may be useful as antipredator defense mechanisms. 

Ocelots may be confused with the Margay, Leopardus wiedii (smaller in size with large, dark brown eyes that appear to be bulged, giving their muzzle a more narrow and delicate appearance; longer and thicker tails that are longer than they hind legs). 

From a conservation perspective the Ocelot is current considered to be of Least Concern being the most common field species in most of the tropical and subtropical habitats in the neotropics. While there are indications of specific population declines, these do not seem to pose a significant threat to the species. Current major threats include habitat loss and fragmentation, retaliatory killing due to depredation of poultry, and illegal trade of pets and pelts. The Ocelot has demonstrated some degree of tolerance to habitat disturbance and persists in wooded patches near settlements. However, their abundance is negatively affected by anthropogenic activities such as logging and poaching. Although widespread commercial harvests for the fur trade ceased decades ago, some illegal trade still persists. Populations in Mexico and Texas have experienced dramatic declines and demonstrate apparent impacts of genetic isolation, particularly in Texas. These areas certainly require attention or the Ocelots are likely to be extirpated there.