Ocelots Notes/ Facts free essay sample

The ocelot is a medium-sized, spotted cat. It grows to about three feet long, not including its tail, and weighs around 30 pounds. It is described as crepuscular and nocturnal, spending the day resting under heavy brush. WHAT IMPORTANTACE DOES AN OCELOT HAS TO AND ECONOMY People pay money to see animals in a zoo and if an Ocelot is in the zoo it brings in revenue. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OCELOTS DID NOT EXSIST In an extreme case (which could happen) Because the Ocelot eats smaller animals without them the smaller animals would over run because there would be so many of them and less of their predators, then you would also loose species because there are so many of the smaller animals which eat even smaller animals, there would be so many that the smaller animals prey would soon die out Because there being over hunted then the small animals would die so not only would you be losing the ocelot species you would be losing the smaller species and the even smaller species making the contents of the rainforest extinct. We will write a custom essay sample on Ocelots Notes/ Facts or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another would be in the song WILD in the Disney movie Jungle Book what would come after â€Å"The old Mongoose gets good and loose†, because â€Å"The Ocelot gives it all he’s got† comes after it. What would take the Ocelot’s place? REPRODUCTION BREEDING: The ocelot’s mating season varies across regions, in Texas occurring in October and in the Yucatan in the spring. The gestation period is 70 days and litters usually consist of one or two kittens (but up to four is possible). Ocelots are born is during the months of September, October, and November. Their gestation period is about 70-90 days and the average kittens that an Ocelot has is about 1 or 2. The kittens are born once every two years and their growth rate is very slow compared to other animals. The Ocelot kittens remain with the mother for a few weeks, and once it becomes a few months older, they are off to hunt with the mother. After months have passed, the Ocelot is now ready and abandons its mother to live on its own. ADAPTATIONS: Ocelots have the right coat for the environment in which they live. For example, the forest-dwelling ocelot has a rich golden-brown fur coat and the scrubland-dwelling ocelot has a dull grey coat. They also have sharp hook like claws to kill their prey with. Ocelots are arboreal and spend lots of time in the trees. They are very agile and their tail helps them balance in trees. They’re also capable to climb on the underside of branches. Climbing on the underside of branches helps them catch prey among the trees. Their fur helps them stay camouflaged. They have a very strong urine scent so it doesn’t wash away in the rain, to mark territory, and to help find and attract other ocelots. RANGE: The ocelot ranges from southern Texas to northern Argentina. As of 1982, the ocelot occupied about 50,000 acres in the United States, 30,000 of that on private land and 20,000 in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, where an estimated 12 to 60 cats roam. This species dwells in tropical and subtropical rainforests to semi-arid, dense thornscrub. It may enjoy partly cleared forests and second-growth woodland. At one time, it inhabited brushland throughout the southwest United States, from the Texas panhandle to central Arizona. Much of that habitat was destroyed in the early part of the century to make way for agriculture. MIGRATION: This species does not migrate. Male ocelots’ home ranges vary from 1. 2 to 18 square kilometers, while home ranges of females vary from about . 8 to 15 square kilometers. LIFE CYCLE: The female ocelot reaches estrus — a period at which it is capable of conceiving — at eight months, but ocelots typically do not mate until they are two years old. Ocelots generally live from eight to 11 years. FEEDING: The ocelot preys on mice, rats, opossums, raccoons, javelin, deer, doves, lizards, and rattlesnakes. THREATS: Currently, the threats to the ocelot are habitat loss, human activities, feral dogs and swine, coyotes, mountain lions, raptors, and bobcats. Historically, one of the biggest threats to ocelots was hunting — shot as nuisance predators as well as for their valuable fur, they were nearly extirpated by human bullets. 60’s and 70’s brought into the U. S. as a pet and a big part of the fur trade. A T. V. show about a detective with a pet Ocelot called Honey West was very popular in the mid 60’s. As they were pulled out of the wild they got very isolated in different areas of their habitat. POPULATION TREND: Fewer than 100 individuals persist in the United States. The majority of ocelots are located in Texas’ Lower Rio Grande Valley, an area critical for NAFTA projects. Globally, this species’ population is declining. There are small populations in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico but one of the big problems is habitat destruction and becoming isolated in the tiny pockets and inbreeding due to not being able to find other Ocelots.