Threats and Conservation
(this comes from the Red List)
This species of wildcat is classified as Least Concern (LC). I think, in my naivity perhaps, that all wildcats should not be classified LC as there is a continual threat from habitat loss, poaching and in the case of the ocelot to be turned into a pet. This cat is promoted (at least indirectly) as a good pet in the USA and probably in South America too.

Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to species not qualifying for other categories and is used for many common species like humans and pigeons. Why is the ocelot in this category? The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ team justify it by saying that this species of wildcat:
- “ranks first in felid abundance” – (comment: felid (cat) abundance is not generally high and sometimes very low so a comparison with other wild cat populations cannot be an argument or criteria for classification)
- this species can reach good density levels for viable populations
This really seems shortsighted to me. The long term prognosis in not good. Habitat loss will continue as will illegal poaching. I believe that the Red List team fail to project far enough into the future based on past experiences.
Threats to survival in the wild include:
- illegal trade in pelts
- making this cat a pet
- fragmentation of habitat
- destruction of habitat
- retaliatory killing by people because this wildcat preys on poultry
Conservation includes:
- paper protection (not real or sound and meaningul protection, sadly) from being listed under CITES Appendix I.
- hunting is banned (but illegal poaching takes place – enforcement problems?) across most of the range: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Trinidad, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela
- hunting regulations exist in Peru (meaning it can be hunted legally).
- there are protected areas (how protected are these areas?)