Ocelot
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Description
A small wildcat (Leopardus pardalis or Felis pardalis) native to South and Central America. Ocelots are nocturnal hunters and spend most of the daytime in trees. Their black, brown and white ringed fur was prized by the Aztecs. More recently, the fur was used for trimming coats and other garments, resulting ocelots being hunted to the point of endangerment. Currently, ocelot fur is no longer used in the commercial fur trade.
Synonyms and Related Terms
tlalocelot (Aztec); ocelotl (Nahuatal); Ozelot (Deut., Sven.); ocelote (Esp.); ocelot (Fr., It., Ned., Pol.); jaguatirica (Port.);
Physical and Chemical Properties
- Guard hair is short.
- Fur is spotted with brown, white, and black rings (similar to jaguar).
Resources and Citations
- Edward Reich, Carlton J. Siegler, Consumer Goods: How to Know and Use Them, American Book Company, New York City, 1937
- Olympus Microscopy Resource Center at http://www.olympusmicro.com/galleries/polarizedlight/pages/ocelothairsmall.html
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocelot (Accessed Nov. 9, 2005)