New Ocelot Kitten at Laguna Atascosa Refuge
Biologists have been tracking an ocelot named Esperanza since she was tagged in 2008. Ocelots are an endangered species, with fewer than 100 remaining in the United States. About half live on Laguna Atascosa Refuge, which has the largest known population of breeding ocelots in the U.S. Ocelots are usually caught on film only by unmanned trip cameras. "We were thrilled to find Esperanza wasn’t alone in the picture," says refuge biologist Jody Mays. "We know other kittens have been born on the refuge since the late '90s. This is the first time a female ocelot and her young have been photographed together." The Friends of Laguna Atascosa Refuge sponsor an Adopt-an-Ocelot program to support research and habitat protection. More information is available at http://www.friendsofsouthtexasrefuges.org, where you can also find out about the Ocelot Festival on February 14 in Harlingen, Texas. Learn more about ocelot recovery at Laguna Atascosa Refuge in Refuge Update July-August 2007, page 25. - Back - |
Last updated:
August 19, 2009
