A medium-sized spotted wild cat of the Americas and the largest member of its genus. It climbs, leaps and swims well, hunts mostly at night and prefers dense cover near water. Each ocelot has its own unique coat pattern.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?Yes
Dangerous?Can be
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Active mainly at twilight and at night.
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inNorth America, Central America, South America
HabitatRainforest, Forest, Wetland
ColoursGold, Black, White
SizeMedium
Length55–100 cm, plus a 30–45 cm tail
WeightFemales 7–12 kg, males 8–18 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for8–20 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- From the southwestern United States (Texas and Arizona) through Mexico and Central America to northern Argentina.
- What it eats
- Small mammals such as rodents, rabbits, armadillos and opossums, plus fish, crabs, insects, reptiles and birds.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
Each ocelot has its own unique pattern of spots.
It usually hunts animals weighing less than 1 kg.
Its name comes from the Nahuatl (Aztec) word ōcēlōtl.
Often confused with
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