Ocelot – Leopardus Pardalis

Habitat: Ocelots live in the tropical forest, brushwood and rocky regions of Central and South America. Active by night, they spend their days resting among trees or in hidden dens.

Adaptations: The striped and spotted fur of the ocelot provides excellent camouflage among the broken shadows and patchy sunlight of the forest floor. Solitary hunters, ocelots will hunt on the ground or in the trees, and they can catch prey in one of several ways – actively foraging, stalking prey or lying in ambush.

Diet: Ocelots feed on small mammals, such as rodents, armadillos and small monkeys, as well as birds, reptiles, fish and crabs. They will occasionally take larger prey, such as small deer.

Fun Fact: The fur is accented with open-center dark spots that run in horizontal lines, resulting in a striped pattern. No two ocelots have the same pattern.