Ocelot Leopardus Pardalis Research Articles

3 APPLICATION OF LAPAROSCOPIC OVIDUCTAL ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION FOR CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT OF BRAZILIAN OCELOTS AND AMUR TIGERS

The Brazilian ocelot (Leopardus pardalis mitis) and Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) are 2 iconic cat species that are becoming increasingly imperiled in the wild. Although both felids are managed in North American zoos by species survival plans (SSP), their long-term sustainability has proven difficult through captive breeding alone, necessitating the development and application of assisted reproductive techniques. Our recent progress using laparoscopic oviducal artificial insemination (LO-AI) in domestic cats (Conforti et al. 2013 Biol. Reprod. 89, 1–9) suggested that this approach could help improve reproductive management of nondomestic felids. In this study, our objectives were to (1) assess ovarian and endocrine responses to 2 exogenous gonadotropin regimens in ocelots and Amur tigers, and (2) investigate fertility and offspring production following LO-AI with freshly collected and/or frozen–thawed semen in both felid species. Female ocelots (n = 13) and Amur tigers (n = 10), housed at 16 North American zoos and recommended for breeding by the Ocelot and Tiger SSP, were treated with 2 different eCG/porcine LH (pLH) regimens (400 or 600 IU of eCG, 3000 IU of pLH, ocelots; 750 or 1000 IU of eCG, 10 000 IU of pLH, tigers). Ovarian responses were evaluated laparoscopically at 39 to 45 h post-pLH, and ovulatory females were inseminated using low numbers of freshly collected or frozen–thawed spermatozoa (≤5 million motile sperm/oviduct). Serially collected fecal samples from each female were lyophilized, extracted, and assessed via enzyme immunoassay for oestrogen and progesterone metabolite profiles. Most ocelots (11/13, 85%) and tigers (7/10, 70%) ovulated following gonadotropin treatment, with no difference (P > 0.05) between eCG dosages in mean (± s.e.m.) follicle or corpus luteum (CL) number in ocelots (11.5 ± 4.2 follicles, 2.8 ± 1.0 CL, 400 IU of eCG; 9.9 ± 5.2 follicles, 3.1 ± 1.3 CL, 600 IU of eCG) or tigers (9.0 ± 4.6 follicles, 4.0 ± 2.8 CL, 750 IU of eCG; 12.7 ± 4.4 follicles, 6.0 ± 1.7 CL, 1000 IU of eCG). Similarly, peak fecal hormone concentrations did not differ (P > 0.05) between regimens, except for slightly greater (P ≤ 0.05) progesterone levels for 10 days post-treatment with the higher eCG dose in tigers. Independent t-tests were used for all statistical calculations. One Brazilian ocelot and 1 Amur tiger conceived following LO-AI with freshly collected semen (10 × 106 motile sperm, ocelot; 0.15 × 106 motile sperm, tiger), with each producing 1 viable offspring after an 83-day and 103-day gestation, respectively. These births represent the second ocelot and first tiger produced by LO-AI. Our findings indicate that high and low eCG dosages may be equivalent and that viable offspring can be produced following LO-AI with relatively low sperm numbers in both species. Further refinement of ovarian synchronization and semen cryopreservation methods may be necessary for LO-AI to be applied routinely for ocelot and tiger conservation efforts. Funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden and Minnesota Zoo; with thanks to Ocelot & Tiger SSP, and participating zoos).

Reproductive Characteristics of the Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) under Captive Conditions

The ocelot Leopardus pardalis is one of the beautifully colored cats of family Felidae. Their successful reproduction undercaptive conditions are not very high. We studied the reproductive characteristics of ocelots from 1960 to 2010. The aim of study was to investigate the reproductive success of ocelots between continents. The following results were found: all continents: 139 captive females produced 576 litters with a total of 752 kittens of which 545 were successfully raised to adulthood. The number of successfully raised males was 295 compared to 250 females. Eighty-six were of unidentified sex. About 359 individuals were reared by the mother and 108 hand reared. Of the total births, 416 were single kittens, 146 were twins, 12 were triplets and two were quadruplets. Females had their first litter at a mean age of 4.2 years old and had a mean of four litters during her live. The mean number of kittens per female was 5.4 kittens, of which 3.9 were successfully reared. Comparison between continent - in America and Europe were born more than 350 kittens, in Asia 50. Reared were 278 kittens in America, 226 in Europe and 41 in Asia. Only some kittens were hand reared. Globally, the highest number of litters occurred during June and August, while the lowest number occurred during November and December. It was found that before 1990, most successful rearings were kittens raised by the mother butafter 1990, the most successful rearings were hand reared kittens.

Population genetics of jaguarundis in Mexico: Implications for future research and conservation

The jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi) is a Neotropical felid that ranges from northern Mexico to South America. The population trend for jaguarundis is declining, yet much remains unknown about their ecology. We live-trapped 11 jaguarundis during 1991–2004 in Tamaulipas, Mexico, and we collected blood for genetic analyses. Our objectives were to 1) estimate neutral diversity using microsatellite and mitochondrial (mtDNA) markers, 2) estimate potentially adaptive diversity in coat coloration via the melanocortin-1 receptor gene (MC1R), and 3) provide recommendations on the use of genetic markers for noninvasive studies. We observed moderate levels of heterozygosity (HE = 0.49, SD = 0.22) and number of alleles (A = 4.00, SD = 1.65) at 12 feline microsatellite loci. The probability of identifying 2 different jaguarundis as the same individual was low using only 4–7 loci (P(ID) < 0.001 and P(ID)sib < 0.01, respectively). We observed one mtDNA haplotype, indicating no mtDNA diversity. However, we documented diversity with the MC1R assay. The frequency of the melanistic mutation (gray phenotype) was 0.33, whereas, the frequency was 0.67 for the ancestral allele (red phenotype). Microsatellite diversity of our sampled jaguarundis was less than that of sympatric populations of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) in Tamaulipas; however, mtDNA diversity was much lower. The frequency of the melanistic mutation was lower in our sample than was previously reported in captive jaguarundis. Our microsatellite loci provided adequate diversity to implement noninvasive genetic tools to better understand the ecology of the elusive jaguarundi. To our knowledge, this work is the first genetic evaluation of wild jaguarundis and provides baseline information for future research and conservation. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.

U.S. Wildlife Management Plan: Recovery of the Endangered Ocelot(Leopardus pardalis) in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) once inhabited the entire southwest region of the United States, but native populations are in severe decline as a result of habitat loss, isolation, and excessive hunting prior to the protection of the Endangered Species Act. Currently, two ocelot populations are known to exist in southern Texas, and there is evidence of individual ocelots occupying southeastern Arizona. Although protected from hunting and direct human impact, the U.S. ocelot populations remain in decline. Ocelots are a solitary species requiring a significant amount of habitat to establish a home range and a defendable territory during breeding season. The loss of habitats and migration routes results in limited reproductive success as well as decreased genetic variability, causing a decline in population growth. Contributing to the negative population trend is the impacts of human development and traffic causing early mortality in otherwise healthy individuals. The conservation and preservation of key habitat and high quality corridors is essential to re-establishing ocelot populations in much of its prior range. Additionally, translocation and reintroduction programs should be introduced and maintained in collaboration with habitat conservation to increase the probability of viable populations.

Brucella abortus and Brucella canis in captive wild felids in Brazil

Brucellosis is a zoonosis. The aim of this study was to check the health status of felids kept at the zoo of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil. Blood samples were taken from seven Puma Puma concolor, five Jaguar Panthera onca, four Ocelot Leopardus pardalis and one Lion Panthera leo. Brucellosis serology and polymerase chain reaction were performed. The presence of antibodies and DNA of Brucella abortus and Brucella canis were not detected in P. leo. The amplification of DNA from B. abortus and B. canis was observed in the four Ocelot. DNA from B. abortus was detected in one Jaguar, and DNA from B. canis in two Puma and one Jaguar. Serology for B. abortus was positive in two Puma and two Jaguar, while B. canis was observed in one Ocelot and two Jaguar. Although not considered a source of infection to staff, multidisciplinary studies should be carried out to elucidate the role of domestic animals in the epidemiology of this zoonosis.

SEROLOGIC SURVEY FORLEPTOSPIRASPP. IN CAPTIVE NEOTROPICAL FELIDS IN FOZ DO IGUAÇU, PARANÁ, BRAZIL

Leptospirosis is a bacterial zoonosis of worldwide distribution and is endemic in tropical countries, where rodents and other wild mammals are abundant and may act as reservoirs. Leptospirosis has become a concern in captive wild animals, due mostly to their exposure to contaminated urine or environment. Although domestic cats (Felis catus) have been reported refractory to leptospirosis, serology and disease in captive wild felids is still unclear. In this study 57 adult, clinically healthy felids, including 1 Geoffroy's cat (Leopardus geoffroyi), 3 jaguarundis (Puma yagouaroundi), 17 margays (Leopardus wiedii), 22 little spotted cats (Leopardus tigrinus), and 14 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) kept in captivity at the Sanctuary at the Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric power plant (Bela Vista Biological Sanctuary), Foz do Iguacu City, Paraná State, Brazil, were serologically surveyed for the presence of antibodies against 28 serovars of Leptospira spp. by microagglutination test (MAT). Two animals (3.5%) were seropositive: one male ocelot to the serovar Cynopteri (titer 100) and one female margay to Autumnalis (100) and Butembo (200). The captive-born, 5-yr-old ocelot had been solitary housed in an individual cage. The approximately 21-yr-old wild-caught margay was also kept individually. None of the tested animals showed signs ofleptospirosis. During a study conducted 4 yr previously in the same facility, this particular margay also tested positive for the same two serovars, among others. The present study indicates that the felids tested for Leptospira spp. by MAT were exposed to serovars, but did not demonstrate clinical signs of disease. Comparison with a previous study suggests that serovar titers may vary over time and that leptospirosis dynamics remains unclear in wild felids.

Ocelot density in the caribbean slope of the Talamanca region, Costa Rica

Ocelot Leopardus pardalis is one of the most widespread species in Ameri- ca. Nevertheless, its ecology, distribution and population status are not well known in sev- eral countries, including Costa Rica. Here we present the first published population density estimations in Costa Rica and the first effort for the Caribbean slope of the country. Using camera-trapping, we estimated ocelot density through capture-recapture analysis within the Talamanca-Caribbean Biological Corridor. An abundance of 8 and 5 individuals were esti- mated by Mo and Mh models, respectively. Based on previous home-range studies, three Effective Sampling Areas (ESA) were used to estimate absolute density. Density was calcu- lated in 8.95, 10.33 and 11.61individuals (Mo model) and 5.59, 6.45 and 7.25 (Mh model) individuals × 100 km -2 for the maximum, mean and minimum ESA estimates, respectively. Gross extrapolations of the expected population size indicate a low abundance and co- dependence between the corridor and surrounding areas for the long term maintenance of the species in the region.

Morfofisiologia do tecido intertubular e das células de Leydig de jaguatirica (Leopardus pardalis) adulta

Estudou-se o espaço intertubular e descreveu-se seu arranjo em jaguatirica adulta (Leopardus pardalis). Para tal, colheram-se fragmentos dos testículos, de cinco jaguatiricas adultas, provenientes de cativeiro, obtidos por biópsia incisional. O compartimento intertubular correspondeu a 19,4% do parênquima, sendo 3,9% ocupado por células de Leydig. Estes se apresentaram uninucleados, com o núcleo arredondado e nucléolo único, e com grande quantidade de grânulos pigmentares no citoplasma. O compartimento intertubular apresentou padrão do tipo II, e o tecido conjuntivo foi o componente mais abundante do tecido intertubular. Observou-se pequeno percentual de células de Leydig na espécie estudada, e o número médio por grama de testículo, 33,39 x10(6), apresentou-se dentro da amplitude descrita para a maioria dos mamíferos.

Reduced genetic diversity and isolation of remnant ocelot populations occupying a severely fragmented landscape in southern Texas

The ocelot Leopardus pardalis has become a conservation priority in the US as a result of severe population decline and loss of habitat during the 20th century. Only two small populations remain in this country. Their short-term viability is threatened by the disappearance of dense thornshrub communities, human-caused mortality and demographic stochasticity. The influence these factors have on ocelot persistence must be considered to develop effective conservation initiatives. We therefore examined neutral genetic diversity and connectivity among ocelots in the US and northeastern Mexico using 25 autosomal microsatellites and a 395-bp segment of the mitochondrial control region. Genetic variation was lowest in the population occurring on Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas (autosomal microsatellite HE = 0.399 and mtDNA-haplotype diversity = 0) and highest in northeastern Mexico (0.637 and 0.73, respectively), while intermediate on private lands in Willacy County, Texas (0.553 and 0.252, respectively). Significant genetic differentiation between the two Texas populations was observed, despite their close proximity (� 30 km). Both populations were also significantly divergent from northeastern Mexico. The absence of any detectable gene flow implies that the human modified landscape of the Lower Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas acts as a strong barrier to ocelot movement, disrupting metapopulation dynamics and contributing to loss of diversity. As a consequence, continued genetic erosion among the Texas populations is expected. The lack of movement through the fragmented landscape also suggests it is unlikely ocelots will recolonize unoccupied habitat patches along the Lower Rio Grande and the delta interior where agriculture and urban land uses predominate. The continued rapid development will exacerbate this problem. These factors threaten the persistence of the Texas populations and limit their recovery. Translocations are necessary to link ocelot populations in the US.

Diets of three sympatric Neotropical small cats: Food niche overlap and interspecies differences in prey consumption

Dietary investigations of sympatric felids are means for understanding how closely related species deal with food resources in a potentially competitive scenario. The diets of the oncilla Leopardus tigrinus, the jaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi and the ocelot Leopardus pardalis were studied through the analysis of scats in Araucaria Pine Forest with Natural Grasslands of southern Brazil. Small mammals comprised the bulk of the diets of the three felids, followed by birds and reptiles. The smallest food-niche overlap index was 0.84, indicating that these felids shared an important portion of their food resources. Inter-species differences were detected in the consumption of the most frequent rodent prey; L. tigrinus was the only species that consumed all the most frequent rodent prey differently from the rate expected from their abundances. Although these findings suggest competitive interactions, with the oncilla being the most subordinate species, further experimental investigations are necessary to elucidate more precisely how these syntopic felids coexist. The effects of sample size and its influences on the evaluation of the diets of the felids, especially of the ocelot, are discussed. We compare our data to a previous study in the same area, to account for the possible influences of biased sampling and uneven distribution of food resources on the diet of the ocelot. The opportunistic feeding behavior and the abundance of their primary prey (cricetid rodents) seem to allow these small cats to be resilient despite severe anthropogenic disturbance in the study area. We further suggest guidelines for future studies in the study region, in order to understand the dynamics of mammalian carnivores demography.

Camera trap survey of medium and large mammals in a montane rainforest of northern Peru

Camera traps are a powerful tool for inventorying elusive and rare species and very useful to obtain ecologi- cal data for plans that involve wildlife conservation. In Peru, several surveys have been carried out in lowland Amazonia especially in the southeastern part of the country, but none in montane cloud forests or Yungas. We present the first camera trap studies produced in Peruvian Yungas at the locality of Querocoto village (Chota, Cajamarca), based on 2002 (dry season) and 1264 (wet season) camera traps-days (CTD). Two localities were surveyed in wet and dry season: The Pagaibamba Protection Forest and the San Lorenzo Forest. The wet season study was carried out in October and November, and the dry season in July to September of 2008. Eight mammalian species were recorded in both seasons. Some 66 (91.7%) independent records were obtained in the dry season, but only six (8.3%) in the wet one, suggesting a seasonality effect. The Mountain Paca Cunicu- lus taczanowskii was the most commonly photographed species, with 17.0 and 1.6 capture frequencies (dry and wet season respectively), whereas the Long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata (0.5 capture frequency in the dry season) was the most rare species. Activity patterns suggest that Mountain Paca C. taczanowskii and the Andean Skunk C. chinga are nocturnal, while Spectacled Bear T. ornatus and Tayra E. barbara are diurnal in the study area. Our records of the Ocelot Leopardus pardalis and the Tayra E. barbara are among the highest altitudinal records known for each species. In addition, the Anta Tapirus pinchaque was also identified by its tracks, representing one of the first record known south of the Huancabamba Depression.

Niche partitioning and species coexistence in a Neotropical felid assemblage

Carnivores have been used as a model to understand the effects of competition in community structure. Behavioral mechanisms that facilitate species coexistence have been poorly explored and may explain the lack of community-wide morphological character displacement in some carnivore assemblages. We use the results of large-scale and intensive camera-trap surveys conducted in the Atlantic Forest of NE Argentina between 2003 and 2008 to describe the spatial patterns of detection and the daily pattern of records of the six wild cat species present in the region (jaguar Panthera onca, puma Puma concolor, ocelot Leopardus pardalis, jaguarundi Puma yagouaroundi, margay Leopardus wiedii, and oncilla Leopardus tigrinus). We use these patterns to generate hypotheses about behavioral differences that may facilitate species coexistence. The larger species were more frequently recorded in the better-protected areas, probably as a result of anthropogenic effects (poaching of cats and their prey). Competitive release from ocelots and jaguarundis may explain why the oncilla and the margay showed the opposite pattern. Morphologically similar species had the most contrasting activity patterns: the margay was exclusively nocturnal and the jaguarundi diurnal. The other species were cathemeral, but alternated their peaks of activity in relation to the relative order of their body weights. The contrasting temporal patterns observed and the ability of pumas and oncillas to adjust their activity patterns to local conditions may facilitate the coexistence of these cat species and explain the lack of character displacement in this assemblage.

Ecology of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in the Atlantic Forest of Southern Brazil

The ocelot Leopardus pardalis is a medium-sized Neotropical spotted cat with a wide geographic range. The present study was conducted in a reserve in an Atlantic Forest area in southern Brazil, and provided information on ocelot ecology through photographic records. Density estimated by the half of the mean maximum distance moved method resulted in 0.04 ocelots per km2. The minimum home range sizes were obtained by the minimum convex polygon method and were in agreement with other studies for the males recorded. Our female’s home range size was smaller than ranges reported elsewhere. The nocturnal pattern recorded is probably related with prey activity, since it is suggested that ocelots adjust their movements to the probabilities of encountering local prey, or with an evolutionary factor, aiming to avoid competition/predation with larger cats. The low density observed could be a consequence of the conditions of the study area, small and isolated, which indicates the necessity for larger reserves and mechanisms to connect isolated populations.

Identifying potential conservation areas for felids in the USA and Mexico: integrating reliable knowledge across an international border

There are three species of Neotropical cats whose northernmost distribution reaches the USA-Mexico border region: the jaguar Panthera onca, ocelot Leopardus pardalis and jaguarundi Herpailurus yagouaroundi. To ensure the long-term viability of Neotropical cat populations in this region it is imperative to identify current distribution and status in the northern limits of their range to conserve important populations effectively. The purpose of this study was to construct a blueprint of priority conservation areas for each species in the border region. This was done by (1) compiling reliable sightings for each species from the early 1900s to 2003, (2) conducting field surveys to ascertain species presence, and (3) conducting a geographical infor- mation system based habitat mapping workshop in which 29 scientists and conservationists provided information on the distribution and status of each species. Participants were asked to delineate and describe specific areas in the border region where historical and recent sightings of Neotropical cats have occurred, resulting in a compilation of 864 felid sightings of which 283 where reliable and had physical evidence. Twenty-one Cat Conservation Units and seven Cat Conservation Corridors were identified as areas in which to concentrate efforts for protecting felids. Only 8.9% of these Corridors and 1.1% of the Units currently have any protection. An additional 12 Corridors and 12 Units were identified as areas requiring further study.

Competitive interactions between felid species may limit the southern distribution of bobcats Lynx rufus

Bobcats are opportunistic felids occurring in a diverse range of habitats and with a widespread distribution from southern Canada to southern Mexico. To explore why the bobcat's distribution stops at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, we modelled the ecological niches, projected as potential distributions, of the felid community (bobcat Lynx rufus, puma Puma concolor, jaguar Panthera onca, margay Leopardus wiedii, jaguarundi Herpailurus yagouaroundi, and ocelot Leopardus pardalis) in southern Mexico, using occurrence data, environmental maps, the computer algorithm GARP, and a GIS platform. The resulting geographical projection of the ecological niche of bobcats extends south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, suggesting that ecological conditions exist for the establishment of populations. The overlap of the modelled distribution of the bobcat was large with that of the puma (97%), but low with that of the ocelot (44%), margay (46%), jaguar (49%), and jaguarundi (52%), the latter three having relatively similar size and feeding habits to bobcats. Moreover, an independent analysis computing a geographic co‐occurrence index showed a similar trend of geographic avoidance (values &lt;−4.60 showing a statistically significant anti‐correlation) between bobcats with the margay, ocelot, jaguarundi, and jaguar, but not with the puma (values &gt;0.15), while all felids, except bobcats, showed a geographic co‐occurrence in southern Mexico (values ranging from −1.91 to 4.71). The Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a lowland region with subtropical habitat, is unlikely to serve as a geographic and ecological barrier to bobcats. As mammal inventories have been conducted for over a century in this region with no records of bobcats, it is unlikely that bobcats are present but have just not been seen. Fossil records also provide no support for the presence of bobcats in that region in the past. Thus, competitive interactions with other felid species appear important in limiting the southern distribution of bobcats, preventing dispersal to a suitable but geographically reduced area south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

OcelotLeopardus pardalisin Belize: the impact of trap spacing and distance moved on density estimates

AbstractWe used remote cameras to obtain information on an elusive species and to examine the effects of different camera trapping methodologies on abundance estimates. We determined activity pattern, trail use, trap success, and density of ocelotLeopardus pardalisin seven camera-trap surveys across two habitat types in western Belize: tropical broad-leaf rainforest and tropical pine forest. Ocelots in the rainforest were active mostly at night, in particular immediately after sunset, and they travelled on low-use roads (especially in the wet season) and high-use roads (especially in the dry season) more than established and newly cut trails. Trap success was relatively high in the rainforest (2.11–6.20 captures per 100 trap nights) and low in the pine forest (0.13–0.15 captures per 100 trap nights). Camera trapping combined with mark-recapture statistics gave densities of 25.82–25.88 per 100 km2in the broad-leaf versus 2.31–3.80 per 100 km2in the pine forest. Density estimates increased when animals repeatedly captured at the same camera (zero-distance moved animals) were included in the buffer size analysis. Density estimates were significantly negatively correlated with distance between cameras. We provide information on ocelot population status from an unstudied portion of its range and advise that camera trap methodologies be standardized to permit comparisons across sites.

Small effective population sizes of two remnant ocelot populations (Leopardus pardalis albescens) in the United States

Threatened populations are vulnerable to the effects of genetic drift and inbreeding, particularly when gene flow is low and the effective population size is small. Estimates of effective population size (N e ) provide important information on the status of endangered populations that have experienced severe fragmentation and serve as indicators of genetic viability. Genetic data from microsatellite loci were used to estimate N e for the 2 remaining populations of the endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis albescens) occurring in the United States. Several methods were used to calculate N e , resulting in estimates ranging from N e = 8.0 (95% CI: 3.2–23.1) to 13.9 (95% CI: 7.7–25.1) for the population located at the Laguna Atascosa Wildlife Refuge in Cameron County, Texas. The ocelot population in Willacy County, Texas, had N e estimates of 2.9 (95% CI: 1.7–5.6) and 3.1 (95% CI: 1.9–13.5), respectively. Estimates of N e in both populations were below the critical value recommended for short-term viability.

Predispersal home range shift of an ocelot Leopardus pardalis (Carnivora: Felidae) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama

Home range shifts prior to natal dispersal have been rarely documented, yet the events that lead a subadult to abandon a portion of its home range and venture into unfamiliar territories, before eventually setting off to look for a site to reproduce, are probably related to the causes of dispersal itself. Here, we used a combination of manual radio-tracking and an Automated Radio Telemetry System to continuously study the movements of a subadult male ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), a solitary carnivore with sex-biased dispersal, on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, for 18 months from May 2003 through October 2004. The subadult ocelot's parents were also radio-tracked to record possible parent-offspring interactions within their home ranges. At the age of ca. 21 months the subadult gradually began to shift its natal home range, establishing a new one used until the end of the study, in an area that had previously been used by another dispersing subadult male. Only three parent-offspring interactions were recorded during the four months around the time the range-shift occurred. The apparent peaceful nature of these encounters, along with the slow transition out of a portion of his natal home range, suggest the subadult was not evicted from his natal area by his parents. The timing of the shift, along with the subadult's increase in weight into the weight range of adult ocelots four months after establishing the new territory, suggests that predispersal home range shifts could act as a low risk and opportunistic strategy for reaching adult size, while minimizing competition with parents and siblings, in preparation for an eventual dispersal into a new breeding territory.

A habitat-based population viability analysis for ocelots ( Leopardus pardalis) in the United States

Strategies are needed to recover the ocelot Leopardus pardalis from the endangered species list. Recently, a population viability analysis (PVA) was developed which concluded that combinations of different recovery strategies were needed to effectively reduce ocelot extinction probability in the United States (US), with habitat protection and restoration identified as the most effective recovery scenario. We expanded this PVA model by incorporating landscape data to develop a more realistic habitat-based PVA for ocelots in southern Texas. We used RAMAS/ gis software to conduct a habitat-based PVA by linking landscape data with a demographic metapopulation model. The primary goal of this study was to provide a model for evaluating ocelot recovery strategies in the US. Each model scenario was simulated 1000 times over 50 years and we defined extinction as one individual remaining. Using the RAMAS/ gis program we identified 11 possible ocelot habitat patches (i.e., subpopulations) occurring in southern Texas. In addition, based on the habitat-based PVA model we found that combinations of different recovery strategies were needed to effectively reduce ocelot extinction probability in the US, with reducing road mortality the single most effective strategy. Short-term recovery strategies should include reducing ocelot road mortality, and translocation of ocelots into the US from northern Mexico. Long-term recovery strategies should include the restoration of habitat between and around existing ocelot habitat patches and the establishment of a dispersal corridor between ocelot breeding populations.

The importance of private lands for ocelot Leopardus pardalis conservation in the United States

The distribution of ocelots Leopardus pardalis in the USA is limited to southern Texas. Identification and monitoring of ocelot populations enables biologists to assess population health and status. Use of camera traps has been successfully used to monitor numerous populations of wild felids, including the ocelot. Our objectives were to identify ocelot presence within southern Texas and estimate ocelot population size and density. We used camera traps to survey for ocelots on four study sites in southern Texas. We recorded ocelot presence on one study site with an abundance estimate of three individuals and a density estimate of 0.30±SE 0.03 ocelots km−2. The conservation implications of this study suggest concentrating conservation efforts in and around the study site (Yturria Ranch) found to have ocelots. In addition, this study emphasizes the importance of including private landowners in the ocelot recovery process.