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Haines, A.; Tewes, M.; Laack, L.L.
Survival and sources of mortality in ocelots
2005  Journal of Wildlife Management (69): 255-263

Survival and cause-specific mortality estimates are needed to develop effective conservation Strategies for the endangered ocelot _(Leopardus pardalis) _in the United States. We monitored 80 ocelots (36 F, 44 M) from 1983 to 2002 and analyzed survival and cause-specific mortality rates. Pooled estimates of annual survival rates differed between resident (S = 0.87) and transient (S = 0.57) ocelots _(P= _0.02); therefore, survival and cause-specific mortality analyses were partitioned for resident and transient ocelots. Sex-specific annual survival was similar between resident ocelots (M = 0.92, F = 0.83, _P= _0.16) and transient ocelots (M = 0.53, F = 0.63, _P= _0.75). Most mortalities were from human (e.g., ocelot-vehicle collisions; M = 45%) and natural (e.g., animal attack, disease; M = 35%) sources. Transient ocelots had higher natural mortality rates (disease, intraspecific mortality; M = 0.26) than resident ocelots (M = 0.04, _P= _0.03). Other sources of mortality did not differ _(P>= _0.10) between resident or transient ocelots or male and female resident or transient ocelots _(P>= _0.08). Human population expansion within the Lower Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas, USA, will increase trnnsportation-related problems and decrease the quantity of ocelot habitat, leading to increased ocelot-vehicle collisions and possibly cause more trnnsient behavior, thus significantly lowering ocelot survival. Research and development of ocelot road underpasses should be conducted to mitigate ocelot-vehicle collisions.

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