Barry Kevin O'Rourke is a Guyana-based entrepreneur who directs S.A.B. Mining and manages diamond and precious metals exploration in large jungle tracts. One of Barry Kevin O'Rourke’s passions is exploring the rich and varied natural landscape of a South American country that has abundant wildlife.
One of the rarely spotted predators of the rainforest is the ocelot, a medium-sized cat with distinctive spots like a jaguar, though it is far smaller and less muscular. Giving preference to regions of thick vegetation, the cat inhabits various kinds of terrain that includes coastal mangrove forests, grasslands, and dense upland terrain. Relying on cover for survival, the cat tends to sleep during the day amid bushes, in tree hollows, or on tree limbs.
Coming out at night, the ocelot seeks out rodents, rabbits, and iguanas, and may climb trees to stalk species such as birds and primates. Unlike many cats, the ocelot is a nocturnal swimmer that hunts frogs and fish and is not shy of the water. The diminutive ocelot is itself a target for larger cats such as the jaguar and puma, as well as the harpy eagle and the anaconda.
Ocelots are adaptive to human settlement and may remain in an area after land has been cleared. One major issue is that the ocelot’s distinctive dappled coat makes it sought after by poachers, and conservation efforts have been critical in bringing the cat species back from the brink of extinction.
