The ocelot (Felis pardalis) is a member of the cat family. It lives in all tropical rainforests around the world. It mostly lives on the forest floor but for shelter or food it goes to the understory.
Its color ranges from reddish-brown to grayish-gold. On the ocelot's back, head, and legs are black spots shaped like shells. It has a pink nose and large brown eyes. It is three and a half feet to four feet long including the tail and it is sixteen to eighteen inches at the shoulder. The ocelot has great vision and hearing to help track down its prey.
The ocelot is a carnivore that eats mice, lizards, snakes, agoutis, fish, frogs, and birds. It chases its delicious dinner instead of stalking it.
An ocelot loves to swim. Its ability to swim helps it to catch fish. The ocelot is an amazing climber though it lives mostly on the ground. It is nocturnal so it comes out at night. The ocelot has two to four cubs at a time. It is hunted for its fur so its population has decreased. It's on the endangered species list, though the United States has laws against hunting it.
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