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| Habitat Map (Defenders) |
Background
Ocelots are twice the size of a normal house cat, rather small for a wild cat. These cats are mainly nocturnal that use their amazing sight and ears to hunt in order to maintain their carnivorous diet. An ocelots main habitat is in the "leafy canopies of South American rain forests" (National Geographic). "Habitats used by the ocelot throughout its range vary from tropical rainforest, pine forest, gallery forest, riparian forest, semi-deciduous forest, and dry tropical forest, to savanna, shrublands, and marshlands" (Recovery Plan). Their coats have a high intrinsic value which makes them a target for hunters.Recovery Plan Summary
Listing Date and Type of Listing
Ocelots were officially listed as endangered in 1972
1st plan was completed in 1990 (USFWS) which did not only focus on Ocelots but also on other cats in Texas.
In 2003 a new team was formed to update this first outdated plan
The First Draft Revision was published August 26, 2010 (most current) and are still listed as endangered.
Geographic and Population Changes
- In February of 2010 there were less than 25 ocelots found in the regions in Texas where the inhabit (Recovery Plan)
- Much of the species natural habitat has been modified to meet human needs which ultimately leads to their habitat loss or fragmentation
-Estimated population size for Sonora, Mexico is "5.7 ocelots per 100 km sq" (San Diego Zoo, Fact Sheet)
- Estimated population size in Argentina and Brazil "13.6 individuals / 100 km sq" (San Diego Zoo, Fact Sheet)
Cause of listing and Main threats to its continued existence
Main threats include habitat loss, fragmentation, logging and the hunting of ocelot and its' food source.
Another reason that ocelots have such a difficult time surviving is that due to the impermeable fences put up on the border of Texas and Mexico there is more isolation between the two populations which causes less genetic diversity which can be detrimental to the species if they come into contact with a disease or parasite that is fatal to them.
Left- Fur Coat (Source)
Right-Texas/Mexico Border (Source)Description of Recovery Plan
- Goal: Remove Ocelot from Endangered Species List
Intermediate goal: Move from Endangered to Threatened
-Criteria:(to be removed from Endangered Species List)
-Population- Texas/Tamaulipas population must be above 200 in Texas and above 1,000 in Tamaulipas for a minimum of 5 years (Recovery Plan)
-Populations that live south of Tamaulipas must reach "Least Concern" for 5 years;
By this they mean having less threats from habitat loss, fragmentation and poaching. (World Conservation Union)
- In order to be downlisted to threatened there must be at least 75 ocelots in
Texas and at least 1,000 in Tamaulipas.
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