Leopardus pardalis

      This elusive cat is known as the Ocelot, its dappled fur serving as camouflage in the jungles of South and Central America. The name ocelot comes from the Nahuatl word ōcēlōtl, meaning "Jaguar"  (Panthera onca), which is used to  reference their similar coat patterns. Unlike many cats, Ocelots do not avoid water and can swim well.

  The ocelot is mostly nocturnal and highly territorial. It will fight fiercely, sometimes to the death, in territorial disputes. Ocelots inhabit areas with relatively dense vegetation, occasionally hunting in open areas at night. They are found in tropical forests, thorn forests, mangrove swamps and savannas, at elevations ranging up to 3,900 ft.

     The ocelot's fur was once regarded as particularly valuable due to its unique pattern. As a result, thousands of ocelots were killed for their fur,  The feline was classified as a "vulnerable" endangered  species by the IUCN from 1972 until 1996. Fortunately, the Ocelot is now rated "least concern" by the 2008 IUCN RED List due to extensive species and habitat restoration efforts.