Ocelot
OcelotOcelotOcelotOcelot

Ocelot

Leopardus pardalis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Darién National Park
10 Verified records at Darién National Park
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's active Active throughout day and night

The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches 40–50 cm (16–20 in) at the shoulders and weighs between 7 and 15.5 kg (15 and 34 lb) on average. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Margarita. Carl Linnaeus scientifically described it in 1758. Two subspecies are recognized. The ocelot is efficient at climbing, leaping and swimming. It prefers areas close to water sources with dense vegetation cover and high prey availability. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Ocelot sighting in Darién National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Darién National Park

Margay
NT

Margay

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Leopardus wiedii

Insufficient data
Jaguar
NT

Jaguar

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Panthera onca

Insufficient data
Jaguarundi
LC

Jaguarundi

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Puma yagouaroundi

Insufficient data
Mountain Lion
LC

Mountain Lion

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Puma concolor

Insufficient data
White-nosed Coati
LC Endemic

White-nosed Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua narica

20–30% · Possible
Kinkajou
LC

Kinkajou

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Potos flavus

5–10% · With luck
Crab-eating Fox
LC

Crab-eating Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Cerdocyon thous

Insufficient data
Crab-eating Raccoon
LC

Crab-eating Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon cancrivorus

Insufficient data
Common Raccoon
LC Endemic

Common Raccoon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Procyon lotor

Insufficient data
Tayra
LC

Tayra

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Eira barbara

Insufficient data
Greater Grison
LC

Greater Grison

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Galictis vittata

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
30–40
Mar
10–20
Apr
20–30
May
20–30
Jun
10–20
Jul
10–20
Aug
10–20
Sep
10–20
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️🌙 When They're Spotted

Active throughout day and night · across all parks (global)

☀️🌙Day & Night
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
30–40%
2 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
10–20%
3 Palo Verde National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
10–20%
4 Tambopata National Reserve 🇵🇪 Peru
10–20%
5 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
5–10%
6 Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
7 Iguazú National Park 🇦🇷 Argentina
5–10%
8 Yasuní National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
5–10%
9 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
5–10%
10 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
11 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
5–10%
12 Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve 🇪🇨 Ecuador
5–10%
13 Iguaçu National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
5–10%
14 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
15 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
16 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
17 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
18 Emas National Park 🇧🇷 Brazil
Insufficient data
19 Sierra de la Macarena National Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
20 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
Insufficient data
21 Celestún Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
22 Madidi National Park 🇧🇴 Bolivia
Insufficient data
23 Henri Pittier National Park 🇻🇪 Venezuela
Insufficient data
24 Santa Rosa National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
25 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
26 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
Insufficient data
27 Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
28 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
29 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
30 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
31 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
32 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
33 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
34 Los Nevados National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Ocelot in Darién National Park?

About 16% of wildlife watchers report a Ocelot sighting in Darién National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Ocelot in Darién National Park?

March has the highest sighting rate for Ocelot in Darién National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Darién National Park