Ocelot Research Paper
The ocelot also known as the dwarf leopard, is a wild cat.
Ocelots live primarily in the rain forests of South America. They also live in Central America, Mexico and even some as far north as southern Texas.
Ocelots are found in a variety of habitats, including tropical forests, savannah grasslands, mangrove forests and marshes, and thorn scrub regions.
Their primary habitat requirement is dense vegetative cover. Ocelots are found in open areas only when it's cloudy or at night when there is a new moon.
They generally live at elevations below 1,200 meters (3937 feet) , but have been sighted at 3,800 meters (11482 feet) as well.
Average lifespan of ocelot is 10 to 13 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.
Ocelots range …show more content…
in color from light yellow to reddish gray, with dark spots and stripes. They have dark stripes on their cheeks and their tailed have rings of dark fur.
The ocelot ranges from 68 to 100 centimetres (27 to 39 inches) in length, plus 26 to 45 centimeters (10 to 18 inches) in tail length.
Weight for females is from 6.5 to 11.5 kilograms (14.3 to 25.3 pounds),and for males is from 7 to 15.5 kilograms (15 to 34 pounds).
Ocelots are nocturnal, meaning they're most active at night. During the day, they rest in the hollow trees, on the branches or dense vegetation.
Like all small cats, ocelots have very good vision and hearing.
Their eyes have a special layer that collects light.
They use their sharp vision and hearing to hunt rabbits, baby peccaries, young deer, rodents, iguanas, frogs, fish, monkeys, and birds.
When they're ready to eat, the wild cats don’t chew their food—instead they use their teeth to tear meat into pieces and then swallow it whole.
Ocelot has raspy tongue, which successfully removes every little piece of meat from bones.
Although predators themselves, ocelots occasionally become the prey of harpy eagles, pumas, jaguars, and anacondas.
Ocelots spend most of their time on the ground but are strong swimmers and good climbers and jumpers.
Ocelots communicate with each other using body language, scent marking, and vocalizations.
Ocelots are territorial and solitary creatures.
Ocelots are very active, traveling from 1.6 to 8 kilometers (1 to 5 miles) per night. Males traveling nearly twice as far as females.
Their home ranges are between 2 and 31 square kilometers (0.7 and 12 square miles), depending on habitat. Male ranges are larger than females and do not over lap with those of other males.But male ranges tend to overlap with those of several
females.
Males and females gather only during the mating season. In tropical areas, ocelots can reproduce throughout the whole year. In temperate climate, ocelots mate at the end of the summer.
An ocelot family is made up of an adult female and her young. After breeding, the male and female ocelots go their separate ways. The female is pregnant for a little over two months before she gives birth in a hollow tree, rocky bluff, cave, or secluded thicket to usually 1 but sometimes up to 4 kittens
Ocelots live primarily in the rain forests of South America. They also live in Central America, Mexico and even some as far north as southern Texas.
Ocelots are found in a variety of habitats, including tropical forests, savannah grasslands, mangrove forests and marshes, and thorn scrub regions.
Their primary habitat requirement is dense vegetative cover. Ocelots are found in open areas only when it's cloudy or at night when there is a new moon.
They generally live at elevations below 1,200 meters (3937 feet) , but have been sighted at 3,800 meters (11482 feet) as well.
Average lifespan of ocelot is 10 to 13 years in the wild and up to 20 years in captivity.
Ocelots range …show more content…
in color from light yellow to reddish gray, with dark spots and stripes. They have dark stripes on their cheeks and their tailed have rings of dark fur.
The ocelot ranges from 68 to 100 centimetres (27 to 39 inches) in length, plus 26 to 45 centimeters (10 to 18 inches) in tail length.
Weight for females is from 6.5 to 11.5 kilograms (14.3 to 25.3 pounds),and for males is from 7 to 15.5 kilograms (15 to 34 pounds).
Ocelots are nocturnal, meaning they're most active at night. During the day, they rest in the hollow trees, on the branches or dense vegetation.
Like all small cats, ocelots have very good vision and hearing.
Their eyes have a special layer that collects light.
They use their sharp vision and hearing to hunt rabbits, baby peccaries, young deer, rodents, iguanas, frogs, fish, monkeys, and birds.
When they're ready to eat, the wild cats don’t chew their food—instead they use their teeth to tear meat into pieces and then swallow it whole.
Ocelot has raspy tongue, which successfully removes every little piece of meat from bones.
Although predators themselves, ocelots occasionally become the prey of harpy eagles, pumas, jaguars, and anacondas.
Ocelots spend most of their time on the ground but are strong swimmers and good climbers and jumpers.
Ocelots communicate with each other using body language, scent marking, and vocalizations.
Ocelots are territorial and solitary creatures.
Ocelots are very active, traveling from 1.6 to 8 kilometers (1 to 5 miles) per night. Males traveling nearly twice as far as females.
Their home ranges are between 2 and 31 square kilometers (0.7 and 12 square miles), depending on habitat. Male ranges are larger than females and do not over lap with those of other males.But male ranges tend to overlap with those of several
females.
Males and females gather only during the mating season. In tropical areas, ocelots can reproduce throughout the whole year. In temperate climate, ocelots mate at the end of the summer.
An ocelot family is made up of an adult female and her young. After breeding, the male and female ocelots go their separate ways. The female is pregnant for a little over two months before she gives birth in a hollow tree, rocky bluff, cave, or secluded thicket to usually 1 but sometimes up to 4 kittens