The Vital Role of Landowners in Saving the Ocelot
The small, spotted ocelot once occupied a land base from the central United States south to South America. Dependent on Tamaulipan thornscrub, these secretive and powerful creatures are part of the predator ecosystem, helping to manage populations of rabbits, rodents and birds.
Erosion of habitat, hunting and vehicular deaths have all contributed to the placement of the ocelot on the federal endangered species list 50 years prior.
“Ocelots are holding their last stand against human development occurring at unprecedented rates in South Texas,” Sharon Wilcox, senior Texas representative for Defenders of Wildlife, said. “These cats need wild spaces and places to roam.”
With less than 80 ocelots believed to be living in the United States, landowners are critical to the return of this impressive wildcat.
Read more HERE on how one landowner is helping to conserve the ocelot.
More Conservation Efforts Underway:
