The woolly ocelot was rescued and rehabilitated to finally be returned to its habitat.

The mission was carried out by the Cornare organization and the Air Combat Command of the Aerospace Forces of Colombia.

The animal is one of many victims of the illegal wildlife trade that was recovered thanks to a timely complaint from the public and a joint operation with the National Police.

According to the information received, the margay was kept in captivity for two weeks, in a small space and together with domestic animals and people.

Once he was rescued, the medical team determined that he had signs of malnutrition and some injuries sustained while in captivity.

He was rehabilitated so he could develop his natural behaviors, including activity and feeding.
In this space, he learned to feed on his own, hunt and identify prey, in addition, repellent measures were carried out so that he would not get used to the presence of a person, nor would he associate a command with a food source, and thus could also learn to react in the conditions of his natural environment .

The release came after the technical team concluded that the rehabilitation process was complete and that the most ideal option for the cat would be to return to its natural space in the Paramo de Vida Maitama-Sonson protected area, a place that can only be reached by helicopter .

That’s how interesting these cats are

These are solitary cats, they meet only for breeding, and the female takes care of the babies.

There are reports that they can have up to two young per birth once or twice a year.

They prey on small vertebrates and mammals, are generally crepuscular and nocturnal, are not aggressive, are very afraid of humans, and play a fundamental role in the high-altitude swamps and forests of the Andes.

This species in Colombia is in a state of vulnerability because its distribution is limited to swamps and cloud forests, spaces threatened by human intervention, and is also affected by hunting and illegal possession as a pet.