ocelot n : nocturnal wildcat of Central America and South America having a dark-spotted buff-brown coat [syn: panther cat, Felis pardalis]

English

Etymology

From Nahuatl ocelotl.

Pronunciation

• italbrac RP /ˈɒsəlɒt/
• italbrac US /ˈɑːsəlɑːt/

Noun

1. An American feline carnivore (Scientific name: Felis pardalis) covered with blackish ocellated spots and blotches which are variously arranged.

Translations

• Dutch: ocelot
• Finnish: oselotti
• French: ocelot
• German: Ozelot
• Nahuatl: ocelotl
• Russian: оцелот (otselót)
• Spanish : ocelote , cunaguaro , gato onza , manigordo , tigrecillo italbrac Bolivia, tigrillo

Dutch

Pronunciation

Noun

ocelot (plural ocelotten)

1. ocelot

For the Metal Gear Solid character, see Revolver Ocelot.

The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), also known as the Painted Leopard, McKenney's Wildcat or Manigordo (in Costa Rica), is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean.

The Ocelot's appearance is similar to that of the domestic cat. Its fur resembles that of a Clouded Leopard or Jaguar and was once regarded as particularly valuable. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Ocelots have been killed for their fur. The feline was classified a "vulnerable" endangered species from the 1980s until 1996, but is now generally considered "least concern" by the 2006 IUCN Red List.

Taxonomy and name

The name ocelot comes from the Nahuatl word ōcēlōtl (), which usually refers to jaguars (Panthera onca) rather than ocelots.

Subspecies

The following are the currently recognized subspecies: Almost all of the prey that the Ocelot hunts is far smaller than itself. Studies suggest that it follows and finds prey via odor trails, but the Ocelot also has very keen vision, including night vision.

Distribution and habitat

The Ocelot is distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean.

The Ocelot once inhabited the chaparral thickets of the Gulf coast in south and eastern Texas, and was found in Arizona. In the United States, it now ranges only in several small areas of dense thicket in South Texas. The Ocelot's continued presence in the U.S. is questionable, due largely to the introduction of dogs, the loss of habitat, and the introduction of highways. Young male Ocelots are frequently killed by cars during their search for a territory. The feline was classified a "vulnerable" endangered species from the 1980s until 1996, but is now generally considered "least concern" by the 2006 IUCN Red List.

Other

Like many wild cats, it is occasionally kept as a pet. Salvador Dalí frequently traveled with his pet ocelot, even bringing it aboard the luxury cruise liner SS France.

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped animals and often depicted ocelots in their art.

References

External links

• CSG Species Accounts: Ocelot
• Ocelots Index, by Ken Anderson

nah:Ocēlōtl

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