Ecology and conservation of ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in Northern Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract

Ocelots are at risk of extinction due to anthropogenic pressures. Therefore, it is essential to generate information about this species in zones with climatic and anthropogenic pressures in order to determine appropriate measures for their conservation. Our goals were to determine population density, relative abundance, activity patterns and minimum observed home ranges of ocelots in northern Quintana Roo, Mexico. During 2008, we conducted systematic sampling for 60 days using camera-traps in Northern Quintana Roo, Mexico. The camera-trap grid covered an area of 81 km 2 and included El Eden Ecological Reserve. We placed 27 camera-trap stations: 18 with a single camera and 9 with two. Camera-trap stations were spaced approximately 1 kilometer apart. Our total sampling effort was 2160 trap-days. We registered 12 individual ocelots: five males, six females, and one of undetermined sex. The density estimated using CAPTURE program was 14 ind/100 km 2 , while the density estimated for each sex separately was 7 ind/100 km 2 . We estimated a relative abundance index of 1.85 ± 0.27 in tropical forest, 1.11 ± 0.22 in secondary vegetation and 0.185 ± 0.09 in savannah. The ocelot was more active at night. The minimum observed home range of male ocelots was larger than that of females, 4.63 km 2 and 1.80 km 2 respectively. We presented some ecological data of ocelot in El Eden Ecological Reserve and its area of influence. These results constitute an important baseline to make a comparison in areas adjacent that have strong climatic and anthropic pressures. Finally, the area is one of the most important for the conservation of ocelot in Mexico.