Texas’ ocelot feral cats are more widespread than scientists thought

Scientists say there may be more ocelots in Texas than previously thought.

In 2021, an unfortunate ocelot was found hit by a car in Hidalgo County, south of Linn, Texas, about 50 miles from Texas’ known feral cat population, leaving Natural Resources Conservationists are confused.

DNA testing of the deceased showed that it was related to wild ocelots native to the U.S.-Mexico border region, but had more unique genes than other ocelots, meaning the animal may have a wider distribution than first thought .

“The results indicate that this cat may be living in an area of ​​South Texas that is unknown to ocelot researchers,” said Sharon Weir, an ocelot conservation expert and senior Texas representative for Defenders of Wildlife. Cox said in a statement. “Hidalgo County may have more ocelots in more remote areas where suitable habitat and prey are available.”

These small wild cats are about twice the size of domestic cats, measuring 3.5 feet long and weighing 35 pounds. They were once widely found in Texas, but the state’s ocelot population is now very small and is a federally endangered species, with some estimates suggesting there are fewer than 100 ocelots left in the wild.

“Historically, ocelots lived in Texas and parts of the southwestern United States. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, most ocelot populations were wiped out through predator control measures, including trapping, hunting, and poisoning. . Weekly newspaper.

The ocelots live in two isolated groups in the southern part of the state, mostly on protected lands like the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. Texas ocelots rely on bramble habitat, a dense scrubby environment that provides them with the shelter and hunting grounds they need. However, the habitat has been largely fragmented due to agricultural development, urban expansion and infrastructure projects, severely limiting their range and movements.

“Texas is home to the last remaining wild breeding ocelot population in the United States,” Wilcox explained. “These cats are listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and continue to experience significant pressures that threaten their survival. The pressures ocelots experience today are very different from those they have experienced historically. Today, Extensive development creates unintentional pressures that threaten their survival. “The ocelot’s survival destroys, degrades and destroys the ocelot’s native habitat and causes harm to the landscape. “

“In south Texas, ocelots rely on thorn forests for nesting and hunting. It’s critical that the remaining brush remains in place,” said Gladys Porter, former zoo veterinarian, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Park “Shelter,” Friends board member Tom deMaar said the researchers said in the statement.

The discovery of the ocelots so far from their known location, and the fact that the area near where the dead ocelots were found is the same bramble ecosystem where these animals thrive, means that there may be more ocelots living in Texas that are natural What conservationists don’t know.

“It makes you wonder, how many more ocelots are out there? This is the first time there’s solid evidence that ocelots are outside their range,” DeMar said.

In addition to habitat loss and fragmentation, major threats to Texas ocelots include road mortality and potential genetic inbreeding due to population isolation. Vehicle strikes are a significant problem because ocelots frequently cross roads that intersect their already limited habitat.

“In South Texas, ocelots are fighting human development at an unprecedented rate. These cats need wild spaces to roam, and recent evidence gives us hope that ocelots are persisting in more remote corners of the region. The challenges we face Our goal is to protect remaining habitat while restoring habitat in places that promote potential expansion and connections among Texas ocelot populations,” Wilcox said.

“Ocelots are emblematic of this region, and their struggle to survive on the wildest edge is representative of the larger fight to protect South Texas’ native landscape. As open space rapidly disappears, the ocelot’s plight illustrates the ongoing debate about wildlife loss. Bigger problem.

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