Written by Adithya Kannan for the Wildlife Gazette
The jungles of South America are mysterious places for those of us who do not live there. The dense underbrush conceals many dangerous and intimidating things, but there are a few familiar creatures that live below the canopy. One such animal is the ocelot (pictured above), which looks like a familiar house cat. Do not be deceived, for not only is the ocelot twice as large on average as a house cat, it is also a ferocious predator.
Despite their innocent appearance, ocelots are apex predators. There have virtually no natural predators and they help to stabilize the populations of the small animals that they feed upon. As such, they play a crucial role in their tropical rainforest habitats.
The ocelot lives primarily in the dense tropical rainforests of Central and South America, preying upon small animals such as rabbits and rodents. Ocelots are also known to feed upon small deer and fish. Ocelots are nocturnal creatures that are very difficult to observe in the wild. Though the cats spend most of their time with their paws planted firmly on the ground, they are adept swimmers and climbers.
Ocelots have valuable furs, making them a target for illegal poaching. Their furs were so prized that they were on the verge of extinction between 1972 and 1996. Since then, strict regulations have allowed the ocelots population to grow in size. They are now classified as a threatened species. However, the threat to ocelots has not abated. Now they face a new threat: that of habitat destruction.
Ocelots live primarily in the rainforests of South America. They have been known to simply leave their homes when there is no more foliage for them to live in. As rainforests are cut down for human use, the ocelots will be forced to migrate. What will happen to them once there is no more rainforest for them to live off of? Let us hope that we will never need to find out, as these intriguing and appealing creatures should be preserved for future generations to appreciate.
Despite their innocent appearance, ocelots are apex predators. There have virtually no natural predators and they help to stabilize the populations of the small animals that they feed upon. As such, they play a crucial role in their tropical rainforest habitats.
The ocelot lives primarily in the dense tropical rainforests of Central and South America, preying upon small animals such as rabbits and rodents. Ocelots are also known to feed upon small deer and fish. Ocelots are nocturnal creatures that are very difficult to observe in the wild. Though the cats spend most of their time with their paws planted firmly on the ground, they are adept swimmers and climbers.
Ocelots have valuable furs, making them a target for illegal poaching. Their furs were so prized that they were on the verge of extinction between 1972 and 1996. Since then, strict regulations have allowed the ocelots population to grow in size. They are now classified as a threatened species. However, the threat to ocelots has not abated. Now they face a new threat: that of habitat destruction.
Ocelots live primarily in the rainforests of South America. They have been known to simply leave their homes when there is no more foliage for them to live in. As rainforests are cut down for human use, the ocelots will be forced to migrate. What will happen to them once there is no more rainforest for them to live off of? Let us hope that we will never need to find out, as these intriguing and appealing creatures should be preserved for future generations to appreciate.