Ocelots are listed as Threatened by The World Conservation Union (IUCN) due to habitat degradation and a decline in the population num bers of their prey, but are classified as lower risk. The Brazilian Ocelot Consortium (BOC) was initiated in 2002 as a conservation partnership between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Associacao Mata Ciliar (AMC) in Brazil and the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Natural Renewable Resources (IBAMA).
Due to this species' status in the wild, Denver Zoo helps fund these important conservation projects through financial aid and in-kind contributions. The primary goal of the BOC is to identify priority issues affecting the survival of the Brazilian ocelot and develop a comprehensive management strategy that addresses both in situ and ex situ conservation needs.
Six projects were identified by the BOC for funding to improve the genetic management of captive populations in both the U.S. and Brazil, and enhance in situ conservation and education programs in Brazil. They are as follows:
- Habitat restoration
- Field studies that assess habitat, ocelot density, and natural history
- Environmental education that would provide educators and educational materials to city and rural areas regarding the plight of ocelots
- Maintenance of the Biological Resource Bank by collecting embryos, eggs, sperm, and tissue samples
- Training for zoo staff, scientists, and veterinarians on husbandry, field studies, and assisted reproductive techniques
- Genetic and demographic management of captive ocelot populations
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