Texas Master Naturalists will be awarded the 2018 Service Pin for volunteering for 40 hours from Jan.1-Dec. 31, 2018. The 2018 Service Pin is the ocelot. Today there are an estimated 50 ocelots that remain in the United States, including a breeding population found in South Texas on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
The 2018 Service Pin is received for 40 hours of volunteer service. Photo used with permission of Marsha May, TPWD.
Ocelot. Photo from Wikipedia
According to Wikipedia, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) /ˈɒsəlɒt/ is a wild cat native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central, and South America. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as the population is estimated to comprise more than 40,000 mature individuals and is considered stable. Its fur was once regarded as particularly valuable, but legal trade of its fur ceased decades ago.[2] In the United States, it inhabits southern Texas and southern Arizona. See Wikipedia for photos and more info.
The ocelot is a medium-sized spotted cat, similar to the bobcat in physical proportions. The ocelot is between 22 and 39 inches in head-and-body length and weighs 18–35 pounds. The fur is short and smooth; the back is basically creamy, tawny, yellowish, reddish grey or grey, while the neck and underside are white. The coat is extensively marked with a variety of solid black markings – these vary from open or closed bands and stripes on the back, cheeks and flanks to small spots on the head and limbs. A few dark stripes run straight from the back of the neck up to the tip of the tail.
The range of this small wild cat once extended from Mexico up into the southern states, including Texas, Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana. Today there are an estimated 50 ocelots that remain in the United States, including a breeding population found in South Texas on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.
This 30-minute video documentary titled “Phantom Cat of the Chaparral: Endangered Ocelot,” highlights the important research and partnerships in place to ensure the recovery of the endangered ocelot. View more info about the efforts for the ocelot on the Wild Cat Conservation website.