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Wildlife Guide · Mexico & Central America

Ocelot

Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

The spotted cat of the Neotropics — once common as a fur coat, now fighting habitat loss.

Least Concern (IUCN, 2014)
An ocelot with a golden coat marked by black rosettes and spots, walking along a forest floor in dappled tropical light.

Image: Source: Wikimedia Commons — verify license before production

In brief

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a spotted wild cat of the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but declining locally due to habitat loss and historical over-trapping; a small population persists in southern Texas.

By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated

The ocelot is a medium-sized spotted cat of Central and South America, and the only wild cat with a breeding population in the United States — a remnant group in southern Texas. Its striking rosetted coat made it one of the most heavily traded cats in the twentieth-century fur industry; millions of pelts were exported before international protection. Today the ocelot is Least Concern globally, but populations are declining in many areas due to deforestation, road mortality and illegal trade. Ocelots are solitary, mainly nocturnal forest hunters, feeding on rodents, birds, reptiles and small deer.

Least Concern

IUCN Red List status (2014 assessment)

11–16 kg

Typical adult weight

Appendix I

CITES listing — commercial trade banned

2 subspecies

In North/Central America and South America

Figures sourced from IUCN Red List — Leopardus pardalis, CITES — Checklist of CITES Species, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — ocelot .

Ocelot: Quick Facts

Vital statistics and key facts about the Ocelot
Weight 11–16 kg
Coat Golden with black rosettes and spots
Activity Mainly nocturnal
Diet Rodents, birds, reptiles, small deer
Lifespan Up to ~20 years in captivity; ~10–13 in the wild
CITES Appendix I — commercial trade banned

Scientific Classification

Scientific classification of the Ocelot
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Carnivora
Family Felidae
Genus Leopardus
Species Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Conservation Status

IUCN Status
Least Concern globally (IUCN, 2014) but decreasing locally. Texas population Endangered under US Endangered Species Act.
Population
No global estimate; Texas population fewer than 100 individuals
Trend
Decreasing in many areas; stable where large forest blocks remain
Assessed
2014
CITES
Appendix I

Key Facts: Ocelot

  • Ocelots are medium-sized spotted cats native to the Neotropics and southern Texas.
  • Their coat was once the most traded cat fur in the world — CITES now bans commercial trade.
  • Ocelots are mainly nocturnal forest hunters, feeding on small to medium prey.
  • Habitat loss from agriculture and roads is the main current threat.
  • Texas ocelots number fewer than 100 — among the rarest mammals in the United States.
  • Ocelots were once kept as pets by Salvador Dalí — they are poor domestic companions.

Appearance and identification

Ocelots have a golden to grey coat marked with black rosettes, spots and stripes — each pattern unique, like a fingerprint. They are twice the size of a domestic cat, with a long tail, rounded ears and large front paws. The margay and oncilla are smaller spotted relatives; jaguars and jaguarundis share their range but differ in size and build. In Texas, ocelots are associated with thornscrub and coastal brush — habitat that has shrunk dramatically. Camera-trap studies show ocelots using dense cover corridors to move between remnant patches.

Ecology and behaviour

Ocelots are solitary and territorial. Males patrol ranges of roughly 3–30 km² depending on prey density; female ranges are smaller and may overlap. They hunt mainly on the ground but climb well when pursuing monkeys or birds. Diet includes rodents, rabbits, iguanas, fish, crabs and occasional deer fawns. Ocelots are adaptable — found from sea level to 3,000 m elevation — but depend on dense cover for ambush hunting. Females den in hollow trees or caves, raising one to three kittens.

History of the fur trade

From the 1960s to the 1980s, ocelot pelts were among the most valuable in the international fur trade. Annual exports from Latin America exceeded 100,000 skins at the peak. CITES listed the ocelot on Appendix I in 1975, banning commercial international trade. Domestic laws in range countries further restricted hunting. Populations partially recovered where forest remained, but the legacy of trapping combined with ongoing habitat loss keeps many regional populations vulnerable. Vintage ocelot coats still appear in illegal trade.

Conservation today

The IUCN lists the ocelot as Least Concern globally, but notes a decreasing trend in parts of its range. The Texas population is Endangered under US law, with fewer than 100 individuals isolated by highways and development. Protected areas and wildlife crossings are critical for its survival. Across Latin America, deforestation for cattle ranching and soy expansion removes the forest cover ocelots require. CITES Appendix I protection remains essential. Connecting forest fragments and enforcing anti-trafficking law are the most effective conservation measures.

What WARN Does

WARN publishes this ocelot guide as free public education. Our work in Brazil and Colombia overlaps ocelot range, where habitat protection and anti-trafficking enforcement benefit spotted cats alongside the flagship species we fund directly.

If this guide helps you understand wildlife and the pressures it faces, a gift to WARN supports habitat protection and free public education in our partner countries.

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Ocelot: Frequently Asked Questions

Where do ocelots live?
Ocelots range from southern Texas and Mexico through Central America to northern Argentina. They inhabit tropical forest, thornscrub, mangroves and savanna woodland wherever dense cover and prey exist.

Are ocelots endangered?
Globally Least Concern, but declining in many areas. The Texas population is Endangered under US law with fewer than 100 individuals. CITES Appendix I bans commercial international trade.

Can you keep an ocelot as a pet?
Ocelots are wild animals with specialist needs — large territories, nocturnal hunting behaviour and strong territorial scent marking. Private ownership is restricted in most countries. Salvador Dalí famously kept ocelots, but welfare experts advise against it.

What is the difference between an ocelot and a leopard?
Ocelots are smaller (11–16 kg), native to the Americas, and belong to the genus Leopardus. Leopards are much larger (30–90 kg), native to Africa and Asia, and belong to Panthera. Both have spotted coats but are unrelated.

What do ocelots eat?
Ocelots eat rodents, rabbits, birds, reptiles, fish, crabs and occasionally small deer. They hunt mainly at night, using cover to ambush prey on the forest floor.

Why were ocelots hunted?
Their beautiful spotted coat made ocelot fur highly valued in the mid-twentieth century. Millions of pelts were exported before CITES banned commercial trade in 1975. Populations partially recovered where habitat remained.

Are ocelots dangerous?
Ocelots are not generally dangerous to people. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a spotted wild cat of the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but declining locally due to habitat loss and historical over-trapping; a small population persists in southern Texas. Give wild individuals space and do not corner or handle them.

How long do ocelots live?
Ocelots typically live Up to ~20 years in captivity; ~10–13 in the wild. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a spotted wild cat of the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but declining locally due to habitat loss and historical over-trapping; a small population persists in southern Texas. Wild and captive figures can differ; use the sources listed on the guide for the underlying studies.

How big is an ocelot?
An Ocelot is about 11–16 kg. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a spotted wild cat of the Americas, listed as Least Concern by the IUCN but declining locally due to habitat loss and historical over-trapping; a small population persists in southern Texas.

Sources & References

Population figures, conservation status and biological facts on this page are drawn from authoritative scientific and intergovernmental sources.

Terms used on this page

Plain-English definitions, from our wildlife and conservation glossary.

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