Pampas cat
Leopardus colocolo
Pampas cat
APPEARANCE
The pampas cat looks like a domestic cat with a wide muzzle and long hair. Some individuals have long hair, forming a mane running along the back. The appearance of the pampas ocelot varies greatly depending on where they live. The backs of the ears are often grey or black with a white spot, and two brown bars run from the eyes across the cheeks. The nose of the pampas ocelot is pink. The tail may be marked with dark rings. The color and pattern of the fur can be yellowish-white to grey-brown, smooth, or patterned.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
The pampas cat is widespread and found in many areas of South America. It lives in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Peru and marginally in southwestern Colombia.
It inhabits mainly open grasslands, puna, and bushland, but is also found in dry open forests, thorn forests, mist forests, floodplains, mangroves, swampy areas, rocky areas, and cold semi-arid areas.
FOOD
Pampas ocelots feed on a variety of small mammals, such as guinea pigs, and especially small rodents. In addition, it has been found to prey on birds and reptiles.
MAIN THREATS
The main threat to the pampas ocelot in most of their range is believed to be habitat loss and degradation due to oil extraction, agricultural cultivation, and livestock grazing, which also results from the reduction of their victims. Other threats include killing in retaliation and hunting for cultural purposes. Pampa’s ocelots are also killed in road accidents or attacked by dogs.
