A forest dweller, although it is also found in areas of arid scrubland and low evergreen oaks. Good swimmer and takes readily to water.


Color= Short, close fur marked with both solid and open dark spots that sometimes run in lines along the body. The tail is ringed with black or has black bars. The ears are rounded with a prominent white spot on the back. Both ocelot and margay have very similar coat patterns and are quite difficult to tell apart. Ocelots are generally bigger than margay, and have shorter tails, and slightly smaller eyes.

Habitat= Broad range of tropical and subtropical habitats including tropical evergreen forest, dry deciduous forest, dry scrub, and seasonally flooded savannas.
Although their recent fossil record extends through much of the southern United States, ocelots are currently found from southern Texas, through parts of Mexico and Central America, into South America as far as Argentina.

Range= Solitary, with breeding females normally occupying non-overlaping territories which measures about 5 square miles. Males have larger territories which overlap several breeding females.