The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a medium-sized spotted cat found from Texas to northern Argentina. Despite recovering from the fur trade era, ocelot welfare in Central America is threatened by habitat fragmentation, road mortality, and retaliatory killing by farmers who blame them for poultry losses.
Ocelots struck by vehicles in fragmented landscapes experience traumatic blunt-force injuries. Their cryptic, dense-vegetation lifestyle means injured animals are rarely found in time for rehabilitation. Retaliatory killing by farmers — often through poison bait — causes prolonged death. Cubs orphaned when mothers are killed require specialised rehabilitation: they are easily imprinted and difficult to release successfully. Habitat fragmentation forces ocelots to cross open areas and roads, increasing stress exposure and mortality risk. Conservation welfare requires both corridor maintenance and community-based coexistence programs that reduce economic incentives for killing.