Endangered ocelot discovered in South Texas

A juvenile ocelot discovered in the Rio Grande Valley increased the number of known ocelots to 47 in the United States. A juvenile ocelot discovered in the Rio Grande Valley increased the number of known ocelots to 47 in the United States. Photo: US Fish And Wildlife Service Photo: US Fish And Wildlife Service Image 1 of / 57 Caption Close Endangered ocelot discovered in South Texas 1 / 57 Back to Gallery

A young ocelot discovered in the Rio Grande Valley increased the number of known ocelots to 47 in the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday.

The ocelot was discovered after photos were taken in December by a motion-triggered camera stationed in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, near South Padre Island. After investigating the footage, staff discovered that the ocelot was a new juvenile that is eight to 12 months old. Its gender is unknown, but it “appears to be in good health,” according to the release.

This is the second young ocelot spotted in the area since last fall, but both have separate mothers and were photographed in different areas.

The Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge now has 13 known ocelots on the refuge, and another refuge in Willacy County has 34 known ocelots. The two refuges are the only known breeding grounds in the country.

Biologists do not believe the ocelots on the refuges interact, which raises concerns of inbreeding, but they plan to reconnect the two populations.

Ocelots, otherwise known as dwarf leopards, have been endangered since 1982, although the species used to range from Texas to Arizona. There are still ocelots in Mexico, throughout Central America and in the northern half of South America.

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