Never Say Goodbye: Ocelot

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Ocelot, Leopardus pardalis.
195 animals remaining (Estimated U.S. population is fewer than 100 wild, 95 captive).

Image: Joel Sartore/National Geographic [larger view].

The photographer writes;

Wild ocelots are gone from all U.S. states except Texas, driven out by human development. The elusive cats still roam the wilds of Central and South America, but there's little reliable data on their true numbers.

Joel Sartore has shared some of his work on this blog before, so I am thrilled to tell you that National Geographic also appreciates his exemplary work. You can view more endangered animals of the United States that were photographed by the talented Joel Sartore here at National Geographic online. All images appear here by permission of National Geographic online.

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I thought there were a few left in Arizona. Of course, the ones I saw there were in captivity; wouldn't be surprised if the wild ones were extirpated.

I had high hopes of seeing one when I was in Panama, but they don't come when called ....

By Julie Stahlhut (not verified) on 24 Jan 2009 #permalink

Thank you for featuring this gallery of endangered species. This photo on your blog of the ocelot caught my son's eye, and he insisted on clicking through the entire gallery.

A beautiful cat.