Developing and Assessing Strategies for Reintroducing Ocelots to Historical Texas Habitat
This project has established a visionary, proactive and cooperative blueprint for pooling the strengths, expertise, interests and resources of a diverse set of partners. Partner organizations designing the ocelot reintroduction program represent government agencies, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, and private landowners. The partners include U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, zoological institutions, the Texas A&M University Natural Resources Institute, Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at University of California Davis, Duquesne University, and East Foundation.
Each organization brings unique and relevant expertise in wildlife science and conservation. This effort has demonstrated how diverse entities can leverage their capabilities to create plans to recover an iconic endangered species on privately owned lands.
"Ocelots still exist in southern Texas thanks to the efforts of private landowners, multiple agencies and organizations managing and conducting research on both private and public lands to provide ocelot habitat. However, ocelot populations still need help in order to recover the species. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has assisted in ocelot research efforts in cooperation with East Foundation, the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for many years, while also providing technical assistance for habitat improvements on private lands through our technical guidance program. TPWD looks forward to helping provide the private landowners, whose properties serve as valuable habitat for ocelots, all the tools they need to continue assisting in recovery efforts without impacting their operations. We are proud to partner on this project and are excited to continue in assisting with the recovery of the ocelot so that we can ensure these iconic animals are still around for future generations in the South Texas region."
— Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
"Thanks to the vision and dedication of numerous government agencies, non-profits, academia, and private landowners, the endangered ocelot is poised for a comeback in Texas. Through the Recover Texas Ocelots project, this collaborative group of partners identified a suitable site for reintroducing the species, developed a captive breeding plan, secured a groundbreaking Safe Harbor Agreement with the East Foundation that incentivizes private landowner participation in reintroduction and recovery efforts, and laid the foundation for establishing a captive breeding program at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proud to be a partner in this crucial mission to increase genetic diversity and expand the ocelot’s range in South Texas, and we look forward to working with all involved to see ocelots thrive in the Lone Star State."
— U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
"At the heart of it, re-establishing a wildlife population through pragmatic solutions takes all-hands and as our land trends and demography work tells us, the very habitat this species needs to thrive is stewarded by private landowners right here in Texas. We're grateful for the opportunity to pursue this work and to continue to promote the stewardship of wildlife populations and their habitats through the application and translation of sound science and outreach. We're working together at this nexus of wildlife research and policy—bringing science, communities and strategists together to consider options that benefit this and future generations."
— Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute
