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FACTS ABOUT: ocelots ocelot

Definition: ocelot  Play ocelotpronunciation  An ocelot is a wild cat with yellow or brown fur and black spots or stripes. Ocelots look like
leopards but are smaller. They live in South and Central America, sometimes as far north as Texas.

Fun Facts


1. What is an Ocelot: An ocelot is a medium-sized wild cat that lives in the tropical forests and brushlands of Central and South America, looking like a miniature version of a jaguar or leopard: it is a pint-sized wild cat.


2. Dressed to Impress: Ocelots have gorgeous, soft fur covered in spots, stripes, and dark rings called rosettes that help them hide perfectly in the dappled sunlight of the jungle: they wear the ultimate camouflage suit.


3. Cat-Eyed Superpowers: Their big, beautiful brown or golden eyes have pupils that shrink into tight little circles during bright daylight, but open up wide and round at night to help them see in the dark: they have built-in night-vision goggles.


4. Nighttime Hunters: While they sometimes rest during the day in a leafy tree branch or hidden thicket, ocelots are nocturnal hunters that come alive after dark to track down prey: they are night owls of the cat world.


5. Skilled Swimmers: Unlike many house cats that hate getting their paws wet, ocelots actually love the water and are strong swimmers who will splash across rivers or hunt for fish and frogs: they are swimming cats.


6. Not So Big: Even though they look fierce, ocelots are much smaller than big cats like lions and tigers, usually growing to about the size of a large dog: they are compact jungle hunters.


7. Texan Neighbors: Even though they mostly live in Central and South America, a tiny population of wild ocelots also lives in the brush country of the southern tip of Texas: they are rare American neighbors.