The Threatened Life of the Ocelot

Many animals face extinction for a variety of reasons; they are hunted down and killed, or their habitat is destroyed. The poor Ocelot has faced all sorts of dangers and is now paying the price for it. With only 50 Ocelots left in the United States, something must be done to help these beautiful cats.

Simple Facts

These cats weight up to 30 pounds or as little as 15. Ocelots are in the middle cat range, and have short paws meant for pouncing on their prey. Ocelot’s necks are thicker than the norm to protect themselves from attack.

The Ocelot’s habitat is only in the Americas. They often dwell in Texas and Arizona. However, as the human population has increase, the Ocelots have started to become more and more extinct.

Unlike most cats, the Ocelot will walk far for their food. The diet of the Ocelot consists of birds, and small rodents. However the Ocelot will sometimes eat lizards and fish.

The Road of Endangerment

The sad journey of endangerment began when traders started shooting Ocelot for their fur. However, in 1930 the threat to the Ocelot changed tides. Not only where the Ocelot being hunted, their habit was being destroyed, their food supply diminishing, and inbreeding. Finally, people started to notice that the Ocelot was endangered and put them on the official endangered species list in 1982.

Unfortunately, the conservation efforts haven’t been as successful as the White Tailed Eagle. When researchers of the Ocelot attempted to put the cat back into the wild, the Ocelots would turn into roadkill. The amount of roads and highways have become the Ocelot’s number one killer.

A Way Out

There are ways for the Ocelot to fight back. With conservation efforts made by WildEarth Guardians: A force of nature, and other various charities, the Ocelot could be on the road to recovery. However, the Ocelot needs more land in order to increase their numbers.