New hope for local wild cats

The Rio Grande Valley's ocelot population could be getting some new blood.

An idea is being floated to bring ocelots from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to diversify a shallow gene pool.

Cameron County ocelots are related to each other because their population is isolated from other populations.

"This is something we've been talking about for some time," said Jody Mays, a biologist at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge who heads the ocelot recovery program.

"Our ocelots are genetically isolated and have been isolated for many years from the population in Mexico and the other U.S. population."

The nearest ocelots in Mexico are 100 miles away and the only other U.S. population resides in the Willacy-Kenedy county area, about 20 miles away, she said. There is no corridor that would allow the two Texas populations to interbreed.

There are fewer than 100 ocelots in the United States, all living in South Texas.

"Blood and genetic analysis indicates the populations are isolated and their genetic diversity has been eroded," Mays said. "We've been concerned about the genetic erosion.

"Our ocelots are becoming more and more at risk of being wiped out by disease or recessive genetic defects that come up with inbreeding," she said.

"As they become more and more alike, they don't have variability, adaptability and resistance. If one is susceptible to diseases, they all are susceptible."

She said there are 13 subspecies of ocelots. The South Texas and Tamaulipas populations belong to the Texas subspecies, a rather small, short-legged version.

Mays said researchers at Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville compared Willacy, Cameron and northern Mexico ocelot populations and found that the Cameron County population has the lowest genetic variability.

The biggest hurdle will be obtaining a Tamaulipas ocelot or ocelots.

"We're just starting to figure that out," Mays said.

The other question is how many ocelots would be brought to Texas and whether they would be males, females or a mixture.

"Ocelots are territorial, so you just can't bring one in and drop it off anywhere," Mays said. "It might be chased off by the resident ocelot.

"There are a lot of variables to consider," she added. "For example, if you bring in males, that should spread genes faster. But males are more likely to bolt and move to a different area, so it might be better to bring in females because they are more likely to stay."

And then there's the question of how many ocelots can be held in the Laguna Atascosa and adjacent acreage.

Currently, there are 30 to 40 ocelots and Mays said the maximum would be 40 to 50.

But increasing the ocelot population is more than just diversifying the gene pool.

"It will take multiple strategies," she said. "We need to protect current habitat, replant previous habitat where we can and connect corridors. Translocation by itself won't work."

If all goes well, Mays said a timetable of three to five years would be reasonable.

If the ocelot relocation program works, Mays said jaguarundis could be next on the agenda.