Camera-trap study of ocelot and other secretive mammals in the northern Pantanal

Reliable information on abundance of the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is scarce. We conducted the first camera-trap study in the northern part of the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil, one of the wildlife hotspots of South America. Using capture-recapture analysis, we estimated a density of 0.112 independent individuals per km2 (SE 0.069). We list other mammals recorded with camera traps and show that camera-trap placement on roads or on trails has striking effects on camera-trapping rates.

Key words: Brazil, camera trapping, density, Felidae, Leopardus, Neotropics, ocelot, Pantanal