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Haemig PD (2012) Ecology of
the
Ocelot
and Margay.
ECOLOGY.INFO 9
OCELOT |
 |
Margay
Ecology of
the
Ocelot
and Margay
.
The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and
Margay (Leopardus wiedii) are two
small spotted cats that live in
neotropical forests. They are more
closely related to each other than to
ncestor (Slattery et al. 1994; Masuda
et al. 1996; Eizirik et al. 1998). In
this report, we compare the ecology
of these two cats, noting similarities
and differences.
Although similar in appearance, the
Ocelot and Margay can be told
apart by many small characters
(Emmons 1990). For example,
the Margay's tail is longer than
its hind leg, while the Ocelot's
tail is shorter than its hind leg
(Emmons 1990). In addition,
the Ocelot is larger and more
robust than the Margay
(weighing about 3 times as
much), and hunts for food mainly
on the ground (Goldman 1920;
Emmons 1988).
In contrast, the Margay forages
for food mainly in trees
(Guggisberg 1975, Konecny
1989), and shows many
adaptations for arboreal living.
For example, the smaller size
of the Margay enables it to
walk further out on branches
than the Ocelot, and its longer
tail enables it to more easily
maintain balance. It also has
superb leaping ability
(Petersen 1977) and its claws
are proportionately longer
than the Ocelot (Leyhausen
1963; Konecny 1989). In
addition, the Margay is the
only New World cat with joints
that rotate sufficiently for it
to climb headfirst down trees
with hind feet turned facing
the trunk, like a squirrel
(Leyhausen 1963; Emmons 1990).
Distribution
and Habitat
The Margay ranges from the
Mexican state of Sonora and
the Lower Rio Grande Valley
of Texas to Uruguay and
Argentina (Gallo-Reynoso
and Navarro-Serment 2002)
. Only one specimen is known
from the historic period of Texas:
an adult male collected at Eagle
Pass and entered into the U.S.
National Museum collection in
1852 (Hollister 1914).
Because the Margay is generally
less abundant than the Ocelot
throughout its range (Goldman
1920; Leopold 1959), and is
secretive in its habits, it is
unknown whether or not
Margays still roam south Texas.
However, the extensive deforestation
and brush clearing that has
occurred there does not inspire
much hope, particularly the
destruction of most of the tall,
gallery forests of Montezuma
Bald Cypress (Taxodium mucronatum)
and Sabal Palm (Sabal texana) along
the Lower Rio Grande River.
The Eagle Pass specimen differs
from Mexican Margays in that its
fur is longer, with solid or nearly
solid black dorsal spots, instead
of enclosed lighter areas (Goldman
1943). For this reason, the Margay
specimen from Eagle Pass was
classified as a unique subspecies
and given the scientific name
Leopardus wiedii cooperi
(Goldman 1943).
Although many people assume that
the Margay is found only in lowland
tropical forests, Nelson and Goldman
(1931) collected an adult male
specimen of this cat at an altitude
of over 3000 meters near the summit
of Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico
in 1894. While it is possible that
this and the Eagle Pass specimen
were just individual cats that wandered
outside their normal haunts, both
demonstrate that we have much to learn
still about the Margay.
In this regard, prehistoric records are
especially interesting because they
suggest further penetration of this
species into what is now the United
States of America.
For example, a sub-fossil specimen
of the Margay dated 2,400 BC has
been collected from a shell midden
in a tidal marsh near the mouth of
the Sabine River, Orange County,
Texas (Eddleman and Akersten 1966).
This locality is just a short distance
west of the Texas-Louisiana border.
The Ocelot currently ranges from
south Texas and Sonora to northern
Argentina and Uruguay. However,
its range in historic times was
considerable greater. In the 1800's,
the Ocelot occurred throughout
the state of Texas and also in
parts of the states of Arkansas,
Louisiana and Arizona (Hall 1981).
The disappearance of the Ocelot
from most of its United States
range was a great loss for, as
Audubon noted, it is the most
beautiful of all cats found in
North America (Audubon &
Bachman 1846).
Studies of the remaining U.S.A.
Ocelots (i.e. those in south Texas)
have found them restricted to
dense thorn shrub and forest
habitats with over 75% canopy
cover (Shindle 1996, Shindle &
Tewes 1998; Harveson et al. 2004;
Horne et al. 2009). Unfortunately,
because of extensive brush clearing
and deforestation by humans, less
than 1% of south Texas now supports
these kinds of habitats (Tewes &
Everett 1986). The result is that the
last surviving Ocelots in the U.S.A.
(approximately 100 in number) are
now endangered because their
brush and forest habitats are
almost gone (Mora 2000; Haines et al.
2005; Janecka et al. 2007, 2008).
.
The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) and
Margay (Leopardus wiedii) are two small spotted cats that live in neotropical forests. They are more closely related to each other than to ncestor (Slattery et al. 1994; Masuda et al. 1996; Eizirik et al. 1998). In this report, we compare the ecology of these two cats, noting similarities and differences.
Although similar in appearance, the
Ocelot and Margay can be told apart by many small characters (Emmons 1990). For example, the Margay's tail is longer than its hind leg, while the Ocelot's tail is shorter than its hind leg (Emmons 1990). In addition, the Ocelot is larger and more robust than the Margay (weighing about 3 times as much), and hunts for food mainly on the ground (Goldman 1920; Emmons 1988).
In contrast, the Margay forages
for food mainly in trees (Guggisberg 1975, Konecny 1989), and shows many adaptations for arboreal living. For example, the smaller size of the Margay enables it to walk further out on branches than the Ocelot, and its longer tail enables it to more easily maintain balance. It also has superb leaping ability (Petersen 1977) and its claws are proportionately longer than the Ocelot (Leyhausen 1963; Konecny 1989). In addition, the Margay is the only New World cat with joints that rotate sufficiently for it to climb headfirst down trees with hind feet turned facing the trunk, like a squirrel (Leyhausen 1963; Emmons 1990). Distribution and Habitat
The Margay ranges from the
Mexican state of Sonora and the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas to Uruguay and Argentina (Gallo-Reynoso and Navarro-Serment 2002) . Only one specimen is known from the historic period of Texas: an adult male collected at Eagle Pass and entered into the U.S. National Museum collection in 1852 (Hollister 1914).
Because the Margay is generally
less abundant than the Ocelot throughout its range (Goldman 1920; Leopold 1959), and is secretive in its habits, it is unknown whether or not Margays still roam south Texas. However, the extensive deforestation and brush clearing that has occurred there does not inspire much hope, particularly the destruction of most of the tall, gallery forests of Montezuma Bald Cypress (Taxodium mucronatum) and Sabal Palm (Sabal texana) along the Lower Rio Grande River.
The Eagle Pass specimen differs
from Mexican Margays in that its fur is longer, with solid or nearly solid black dorsal spots, instead of enclosed lighter areas (Goldman 1943). For this reason, the Margay specimen from Eagle Pass was classified as a unique subspecies and given the scientific name Leopardus wiedii cooperi (Goldman 1943).
Although many people assume that
the Margay is found only in lowland tropical forests, Nelson and Goldman (1931) collected an adult male specimen of this cat at an altitude of over 3000 meters near the summit of Cerro San Felipe, Oaxaca, Mexico in 1894. While it is possible that this and the Eagle Pass specimen were just individual cats that wandered outside their normal haunts, both demonstrate that we have much to learn still about the Margay.
In this regard, prehistoric records are
especially interesting because they suggest further penetration of this species into what is now the United States of America. For example, a sub-fossil specimen of the Margay dated 2,400 BC has been collected from a shell midden in a tidal marsh near the mouth of the Sabine River, Orange County, Texas (Eddleman and Akersten 1966). This locality is just a short distance west of the Texas-Louisiana border.
The Ocelot currently ranges from
south Texas and Sonora to northern Argentina and Uruguay. However, its range in historic times was considerable greater. In the 1800's, the Ocelot occurred throughout the state of Texas and also in parts of the states of Arkansas, Louisiana and Arizona (Hall 1981). The disappearance of the Ocelot from most of its United States range was a great loss for, as Audubon noted, it is the most beautiful of all cats found in North America (Audubon & Bachman 1846).
Studies of the remaining U.S.A.
Ocelots (i.e. those in south Texas) have found them restricted to dense thorn shrub and forest habitats with over 75% canopy cover (Shindle 1996, Shindle & Tewes 1998; Harveson et al. 2004; Horne et al. 2009). Unfortunately, because of extensive brush clearing and deforestation by humans, less than 1% of south Texas now supports these kinds of habitats (Tewes & Everett 1986). The result is that the last surviving Ocelots in the U.S.A. (approximately 100 in number) are now endangered because their brush and forest habitats are almost gone (Mora 2000; Haines et al. 2005; Janecka et al. 2007, 2008). |
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