Dana Hills High School

The scientific name for the ocelot is Felis pardalis. Ocelots live in an area of about 1 to 4 square miles. Their geographic range is from Southwestern U.S. throughout Mexico and Central America, and in South America. Their diet consists mostly of small rodents, rabbits and birds, which they hunt for at night. Ocelots have been known to feed also on amphibians, reptiles and fish.

The ocelot was listed on the endangered species list in 1972. The fur of the ocelot has been in demand for many years. The fur was expensive because no two animals have identical markings so fur dealers had difficulty matching the pelts. Ocelots are also endangered because of the loss of their habitat which has been cleared for farming and growth of cities. The U.S. has banned importation of ocelot pelts since 1972 and protected in Peru and Columbia since 1973.

http://www.belizezoo.org/zoo/zoo/mammals/oce/oce1.html

http://www.oaklandzoo.org/atoz/azocelot.html