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Ocelots

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Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are medium-sized, spotted wild cats belonging the family Felidae and the subfamily Felinae. The ocelot's range is from southern Texas to northern Argentina. The species has populations on the islands of Trinidad and Margarita and in every Central and South America country, except Chile. Two subspecies are scientifically recognized.

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  • As top predators, wild cats play a key ecological role in tropical forests, but little is known about the factors that regulate their abundance. This study looked for correlates of ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) abundance at two spatial scales. ... The frequency of records, number of individuals recorded per station, and density estimates were 2–3 times higher in areas with relatively low levels of logging and poaching. At a continental scale, ocelot densities decrease with latitude and increase with rainfall. Primary productivity seems to determine the abundance of wild cats across their range, but at a local scale their abundance may be affected by logging and poaching or by competition with other species.
    • Mario S. Di Bitetti, Agustín Paviolo, Carlos D. De Angelo, and Yamil E. Di Blanco, (March 2008)"Local and continental correlates of the abundance of a neotropical cat, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)". Journal of Tropical Ecology 24 (2): 189–200. DOI:10.1017/S0266467408004847.
  • Ocelots were the pet of choice for the well-heeled celebrity or adventurous types in the mid-20th century. Apparently if they are raised by hand from a young age they become relatively docile. It’s clear that the cats were sourced from all over the Americas–not just Texas. However, I found more want ads in the Rio Grande Valley than elsewhere in the state, which leads me to believe that Texas ocelots didn’t escape the trade.
    ...
    With an abundance of ocelots living in cities, it’s not surprising that some of the cats escaped. The first article from Fort Worth does not confirm the ocelot was the marauder, but it does report on the escape of two cats.
    And finally, a reminder that these cats were still wild animals is the shocking headline, “Pet Ocelot Chews Off Baby’s Toes.” I’ve included it from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times here, but the story was featured in newspapers nationwide in 1956.
  • In the USA, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a highly endangered felid found only in a few remaining vestiges of native thornshrub brushland in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of extreme southern Texas. From 1987–1998, carcasses of 15 adult ocelots that died of vehicular accidents or natural causes were examined for helminths. All cats had 1–8 (mean=3) helminth species. ... Although a single heartworm infection may have contributed to the death of one ocelot, helminth infections in general seemed to be of no great consequence to this endangered ocelot population. The helminth fauna of ocelots in the LRGV is reflective of that from wild felids in general; all have been reported previously from the bobcat (Lynx rufus) and mountain lion (Puma concolor) elsewhere in Texas.
    • Danny B. Pence, Michael E. Tewes, and Linda L. Laack, (July 2003). "Helminths of the Ocelot from Southern Texas". Journal of Wildlife Diseases 39 (3): 683–689. DOI:10.7589/0090-3558-39.3.683.
  • Dalí acquired his ocelot in the 1960s (allegedly from the Colombian Head of State), and for a time it was seen to accompany him, on a leash and stone studded collar, almost everywhere he went. One of the most popular accounts of Dalí and Babou is that of the painter bringing the wild cat into a Manhattan restaurant and tethering it to his table, causing great alarm to a fellow diner. To appease the woman’s fear, Dalí told her that Babou was nothing more than a normal cat which he had “painted over in an op art design.” Babou was privvy to the high life both at home and abroad – author Suzanne White describes seeing the cat stalking about “on a silken setee located in front of a carved marble fireplace” in Dalí’s living room, while famous images exist of the artist and his pet on a voyage aboard the luxury ocean liner the SS France.
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