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| Ocelot | |
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| Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
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| Ocelot range | |
The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a small mammal, one of nine species in the genus Leopardus.
Normally it lives in South and Central America, as far up as Mexico. It has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean. These fast cats eat small mammals, birds, fish, and snakes. They are very good swimmers.
Once hunted for its beautiful fur, the cat is now protected and listed as 'least concern' by the IUCN Red List. The cat is nocturnal and likes forests and dense vegetation. It is very territorial, and will fight to keep its territory. Like many cats, male ocelots mark their territory by spraying urine.
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