North American ocelot

The **North American ocelot** (*Leopardus pardalis americanum*) is a subspecies of ocelot that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across North America to help boost biodiversity. The closest living relative of the North American ocelot is *Leopardus pardalis pardalis*, whose range in North America only consists of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. As an ocelot subspecies, the North American ocelot is the largest member of its genus, being a medium-sized cat with a head-and-body length of between 55 and 100 centimeters (21.7 and 39.4 inches) and a 30 to 45 centimeter (11.8 to 17.7 inch) long tail. It typically reaches 40–50 centimeters (15.7–19.7 inches) at the shoulder. The weight of females ranges between 7 and 12 kilograms (15 and 26 lb) and of males between 7 and 15.5 kilograms (15.4 and 34.2 lb). Its footprint measures nearly 2 cm × 2 cm (0.8 in × 0.8 in). The North American ocelot's fur is extensively marked with solid black markings on a creamy, tawny, yellowish, reddish gray or gray background color. The spots on the head and limbs are small, but markings on the back, cheeks, and flanks are open or closed bands and stripes. A few dark stripes run straight from the back of the neck up to the tip of the tail. Its neck and undersides are white, and the insides of the legs are marked with a few horizontal streaks. Its round ears are marked with a bright white spot. Its fur is short in the tropics and subtropics, about 0.8 centimeters (0.3 inches) long on the belly, but with about 1 centimeters (0.4 inches) long guard hairs on the back, while in cooler and colder climates, the fur is longer to keep the cat warm. The body has a notably strong odor. Each North American ocelot has a unique color pattern, which can be used to identify individuals. The North American ocelot is usually solitary and active mainly during twilight and at night. During the daytime, it rests on trees, in dens below large trees or other cool, sheltered sites on the ground. It is agile in climbing and leaping, and escapes predators by jumping on trees. It is also an efficient swimmer. It scent-marks its territory by spraying urine. The territories of males are 3.5–46 km2 (1.4–17.8 sq mi) large, while those of females cover 0.8–15 km2 (0.3–5.8 sq mi). Territories of females rarely overlap, whereas the territory of a male includes those of two to three females. Social interaction between sexes is minimal, though a few adults have been observed together even in non-mating periods, and some juveniles interact with their parents. North American ocelot individuals can deposit scat in one or several communal sites, called latrines. The North American ocelot can be aggressive in defending its territory, fighting even to death. North American ocelots are the most adaptable subspecies of ocelots, being able to adapt to a wider range of habitats than the other two ocelot subspecies. North American ocelots have been observed to follow scent trails to acquire prey. They walk slowly at a speed of about 0.3 km/h (0.2 mph) searching for prey. Alternatively, a North American ocelot may wait for prey for 30 to 60 minutes at a certain site, and move to another walking at 0.8–1.4 km/h (0.5–0.9 mph) if unsuccessful. The North American ocelot typically prefers hunting in areas with vegetation cover, especially on moonlit nights, so as not to be seen by the prey. As a carnivore, it preys on small terrestrial mammals such as rodents, lagomorphs, small ground-dwelling primates, armadillos, opossums, fish, insects, reptiles, and small birds. It usually feeds on the kill immediately, but removes bird feathers before. It typically preys on animals that weigh less than 1 kilograms (2.2 lb), but rarely targets large ungulates such as deer, sheep, pigs, and peccaries. The North American ocelot requires 580–750 grams (20–26 oz) of food every day to satisfy its energy requirements. Both male and female North American ocelots produce a long-range "yowl" in the mating season and a short-range "meow". North American ocelots can mate any time during the year in the tropics and subtropics, but mates during late winter and early spring in temperate and colder areas. Captive ocelots spend more time together when mating; both scent-mark extensively and eat less during this time. A litter of one to four is born after a gestational period of two to three months. Females give birth in dens, usually located in dense vegetation. A newborn kitten weighs 200–340 grams (7.1–12.0 oz). The kitten is born with spots and stripes, though on a gray background; the color changes to golden as the North American ocelot grows older. The mother keeps a litter in a den for 13 to 64 days, and can shift the young to two or three dens. The kitten's eyes open 15 to 18 days after birth. Kittens begin to leave the den at the age of three months. They remain with their mother for up to two years, and then start dispersing and establishing their own territory. In comparison to other felids, North American ocelots have a relatively longer duration between births and a narrow litter size. Captive North American ocelots live for up to 20 years. The conservation status of the North American ocelot is **Least Concern** due to successful conservation efforts, the North American ocelot's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.