Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) breeding effort and productivity in seasonal tropical forests of the central Mexican Pacific

By

Monterrubio-Rico, Tiberio César
Núñez-Landa, Leticia
Charre-Medellín, Juan Felipe

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2024-6-28

Original Publication

Neotropical Biology and Conservation

Volume

19

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

51--67

Subjects

camera trap , felines , female generational replacement , Tropical dry forests

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Brazil Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/neotropical.19.e114194

 

Abstract

Camera trap studies on ocelots in Mexico have focused on abundance, habitat use, and activity patterns, mainly within Protected Areas of tropical humid forests in southern regions. However, their ecology, including breeding effort and productivity in seasonal dry Pacific forests and areas outside Protected Areas, has received less attention. The species’ low reproductive rates make their populations vulnerable to decline. In evaluating the reproduction, the species’ breeding activity was examined for two survey periods performed during 2010–2016. We estimated the percentage of females raising young in the surveys and their associated fecundity–”productivity”. The overall results revealed a population of 26 males and 46 females that included 10 females (21%) rearing 12 young, defined as kittens, cubs, or juveniles, for an effective sample area (ESA) of 200 km2. Overall, the productivity averaged 2.05/100 km2 per season. All parameters varied between the two areas, and productivity was not constant in time in either area or site. Information on species breeding activity in combination with density estimations may facilitate determining the minimum area required for a viable ocelot population in the region. Protected Areas are required in the studied region for the ocelot in order to maintain a viable local population. This is due to the increasing fragmentation caused by agriculture, cattle ranching, and forest fires, and it is hypothesized that ocelots do not tolerate disturbance or severe fragmentation.