Living on the edge: density and activity patterns of the ocelot, Leopardus pardalis, in the austral limit of the Atlantic Forest

Abstract

ABSTRACT Knowledge on population density and activity patterns may help to understand how species with wide geographical distribution survive in different environments. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is one of the neotropical felids with the greatest geographical range. We estimated the density and activity patterns of ocelots in the austral extreme of the species distribution (Southern Brazil), comparing our results with those of previous studies. We obtained ocelot records in three out of six sampled areas, but only two had sufficient records to estimate ocelot density. We estimated 15.5 (±6SE) and 27 (±24SE) individuals/100 km2 in two protected areas. These values seem low when compared to ocelots’ density estimates in other areas of the Atlantic Forest. In the most pristine area, density values were similar to those from a study carried out 10 years ago, suggesting that this population remains stable. Our results indicate that austral populations of the ocelot are likely to be dependent on preserved patches of deciduous seasonal forests. As in other areas of the species’ distribution, ocelots were mainly nocturnal, potentially avoiding humans and domestic animals. The preservation of those areas and the connectivity between them is a priority for the long-term conservation of stable ocelot´s populations in the southern Atlantic Forest range.