#manigordo | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ainawgsd · 8 years ago

Photo

Ocelot

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a wild cat distributed extensively within South America, including the islands of Trinidad and Margarita, Central America, and Mexico. North of Mexico, it is found regularly only in the extreme southern part of Texas, although there are rare sightings in southern Arizona. Its fur was once regarded as particularly valuable. As a result, hundreds of thousands of ocelots were killed for their fur, causing a marked decline in the species' numbers. The cat was listed as Vulnerable from 1972 until 1996 and is now listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

The name ocelot comes from the Nahuatl word ōcēlōtl, which usually refers to the jaguar (Panthera onca) rather than the ocelot. Another possible origin for the name is the Latin cellatus ("having little eyes" or "marked with eye like spots"), in reference to the cat's spotted coat. Other names for the ocelot include cunaguaro, manigordo, mathuntori, ocelote, onsa, pumillo, tigri-kati and tigrillo.

The ocelot is a medium-sized spotted cat, similar to the bobcat in physical proportions. The ocelot is between 22 and 39 inches in head-and-body length and weighs 18–35 pounds. The fur is short and smooth; the back is basically creamy, tawny, yellowish, reddish grey or grey, while the neck and underside are white.

The coat is extensively marked with a variety of solid black markings – these vary from open or closed bands and stripes on the back, cheeks and flanks to small spots on the head and limbs. A few dark stripes run straight from the back of the neck up to the tip of the tail. A few horizontal streaks can be seen on the insides of the legs. English naturalist Richard Lydekker observed that the ocelot is "one of the most difficult members of the feline family to describe". In 1929, wildlife author Ernest Thompson Seton described the coat of the ocelot as "the most wonderful tangle of stripes, bars, chains, spots, dots and smudges...which look as though they were put on as the animal ran by."

The ocelot is active around twilight (crepuscular) and at night (nocturnal). However, it can be seen hunting in daytime as well – especially on cloudy or rainy days. The ocelot is active for 12 to 14 hours every day, and hunting is the major activity. It rests mainly during the day and in a variety of places, such as tree branches, depressions at the base of trees or under fallen trees.

Solitary animals, ocelots live singly in territories that are scent-marked by urine spraying and forming dung piles. Ranges of females hardly overlap, whereas the territory of a male can include the territories of two to three females. Social interaction is minimal, though a few adults have been observed together even in non-mating months, and some juveniles may interact with their parents.

The remnant U.S. ocelot population in south Texas has declined from 80–120 individuals in 1995 to fewer than 50 in recent years, with about half of ocelot deaths resulting from automobile accidents. The destruction of habitat is the main threat to their survival. In addition, this animal is sought by poachers in order to market their skin, because of the aesthetic values it has. At the level of America, its main threats are loss and fragmentation of habitat, illegal trade in specimens and skins, hunting and predation retaliation for poultry species. Natural predators of ocelots include jaguar, cougar, the harpy eagle, and species of boa.

In Trinidad, habitat fragmentation, as well as direct exploitation via illegal poaching are major threats to the survival of the remnant populations of ocelots on the island. No empirical studies have been conducted to reliably estimate population status on the island. Historical records indicate that the species once existed on the island of Tobago, but it has long been extirpated there.

#animal abc's #O #ocelot #cunaguaro #manigordo #mathuntori #ocelote #onsa #pumillo #tigri-kati #tigrillo #south american animals #central american animals #north american animals #wild cats #source: google

779 notes · View notes

naturalmentesalvaje · 10 years ago

Photo

Caminando por el sendero, escucho los sonidos que nos da la oscura noche nublada. De pronto observo un par de puntos rojizos en dirección a mi, respiro fuerte,son un par de ojos de una especie que se oculta tras la oscurdidad de la noche, preparo mi cámara con la intención de descubrir de que animal se trataba. Una parte de mi cabeza decia: es un zorro pelón, pero mi intuición me refutaba esa idea y me inundaba el deseo de descubrir un felino tras el flash. Alisto la cámara, apreto el boton, el flash se dispara y veo como se dibuja la silueta de un felino. Ya no hay duda, estoy frente a un felino silvestre, me emociono y algunas lagrimas de felicidad aparecen en mi rostro. Es un manigordo (Leopardus pardalis), se nota tranquilo aun en mi prescencia, tomo un par de fotos más he intento acercarme, despacio para no asustarlo, para mi sorpresa el manigordo se acuesta en el suelo y sigue observando como me le acerco ¿porque no huye? ¿Porque me tolera? ¿Sentirá mi emoción y afecto? No lo se, puede que si puede que no, lo cierto es que me permitió estar a un metro de distancia sin siquiera hacer señas de sentirse amenazado. Tras una sesión de fotografias intento acercarme más pero el manigordo decide que por hoy es suficiente, y se aleja en la oscuridad de la naturaleza, yo en extasis solo puedo recordar su mirada y el pasaje de un libro conocido:

"...Ven a jugar conmigo -le propuso el principito- estoy tan triste!!

No puedo jugar contigo -dijo el zorro- no estoy domesticado

Ah perdón -dijo el principito.... Despues de una reflexión añadio: Que significa domesticar?

Es una cosa ya olvidada -dijo el zorro- significa crear vinculos..." Antoine de Saint Exupery

ocelot in his natural habitat.....

#leopardus pardalis #ocelote #manigordo #ocelot #felidae #felino

3 notes · View notes