The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a mid-sized American feline featured in the Americas Animal Pack DLC for Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Description[]
General[]
Population In Wild: 40,000
The ocelot (or Leopardus pardalis) is a medium-sized cat that lives in the densely vegetated areas of the Southern USA and Central and South America. The ocelot has a stocky build with rounded ears and a rounded nose. It has leopard-like patterned fur, orange and black rosettes and spots that form stripes down their body and face. Ocelots measure 55 cm to 100cm in length, with an extra 40cm to 50cm added by the tail, and stand 30cm to 45cm tall at the shoulder. Males weigh between 8kg and 18kg, while females weigh less at 7kg to 12kg.
Ocelots are a species of Least Concern. Although the population is not threatened as a whole, habitat fragmentation through the building of roads, deforestation to create farmland, and urban development has extirpated the ocelot ocelots in parts of their natural range. Hunting of ocelots is prohibited in most of their range, but still the ocelot is sometimes poached for the exotic pet trade, where poachers will kill mothers to steal their cubs. There have been reintroduction efforts in Texas, USA to restore the historical range of ocelots, but wild ocelots rarely interbreed with captive-raised ocelots and population numbers remain low and prone to inbreeding depression. Population monitoring efforts throughout the Amazon basin and other areas of South America indicate that these numbers are stable.
Social[]
The ocelot is a solitary animal. Adult cats only come together to mate. Mothers may spend up to 2 years with their kittens, and kittens may be social and play with each other before sexual maturity.
Reproduction[]
When a female enters oestus, she will attempt to attract males by yowling, long-raging cries, and mark her territory with increased frequency. Males will also vocalize and mark, allowing pairs to locate each other. Prior mating, male and female may play and nuzzle. Copulation may occur several times over the 1 to 3 days they spend together. After this time the female will attempt to repel the male by growling at him, chasing him and being otherwise aggressive. As the leaves, the pair will separate for good, and the male has no part in caring for the female or offspring.
During her pregnancy of 79 to 85 days, the female will locate multiple den areas in tree roots, thickets and rocks. She then gives birth to a litter of 1 to 4 kittens in one of those dens. The kittens are born blind and unable to walk, and remain in the den with the mother until they are 4 weeks old. Afterwards they will begin accompany the mother outside of the den. The kittens begin to eat solid food at 8 weeks old and are fully weaned at 3 to 4 months old. At 3 months old their mother starts teaching them how to hunt, and they will remain with her until 1 to 2 years old.
As the young ocelots reach sexual maturity, they disperse to become solitary, establishing their own territories.
Animal Care[]
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PREFERRED OBJECTS | |
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Processed Meat · Whole Carcass · Kibble | |
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FEEDING STATIONS | |
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FOOD ENRICHMENT |
HABITAT ENRICHMENT |
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COMPATIBLE ANIMALS |
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Ocelot doesn't benefit from sharing space with other species |
Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- Ocelot mothers may move their kittens to different dens up to 5 times during their infancy to protect them from predators.
- The ocelot's Latin name, Leopardus pardalis, translates to 'like a leopard'.
- Unlike most cats, ocelots will skin or pluck their prey before eating it.
- Ocelots are excellent jumpers and climbers; they depend heavily on trees and shrubs to hunt and shelter in their arboreal lifestyle.
- Ocelots are occasionally kept as exotic pets, famously, Spanish painter Salvador Dalí had two pet ocelots called Babou and Bouba.
Other Trivia[]
- The ocelot received the desert biome tag in the 1.20 Update.
Gallery[]
