Giant ocelots

The Giant Ocelot, Leopardus maximus, is an extinct species of ocelots that were native to Alteniquia in antiquity. They were known to be apex predators in their native habitats before their extinction roughly 5000 years ago.

Despite the name, the Giant Ocelot is not necessarily a true ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), but still a member of the same genus alongside the Margay and Pampas Cat.

Distribution
Their largest populations lied in Vastallos and Australiquia in three different regions- two zones in Australiquia (southern Alteniquia) separated by climate, and one in Vastallos. It is likely that the Vastallos population, Leopardus maximus vastalli, migrated from across the sea from Australiquia. No fossil remains have been found in the arid regions to the east, suggesting that the ancestors of L. m. vastalli did not cross to Vastallos over land.

Subspecies
There were at least three different subspecies;


 * Leopardus maximus vastalli, the biggest that lived in Vastallos and had the largest population 116 Sem Título 20210716004600.png.

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 * Leopardus maximus signatus, the smallest that lived west in Australiquia






 * Leopardus maximus margarita, lived in the east part of Australiquia

Ecology and Behavior
Giant Ocelots were, apart from humans, the apex predators of their native ecosystems. They preyed primarily on smaller animals, mostly fowl and other birds, though coprolite fossils have also turned up fish scales in them, implying that they frequently ate fish as well. The diet of extant ocelots poorly matches that of the Giant Ocelot, however, as they also preyed upon larger hooved mammals. Numerous bovine fossils bear tooth marks from Giant Ocelots.

The Giant Ocelots were probably solitary, much like modern ocelots, and only met to breed. They probably had large territories, with a lower population density than modern ocelots due to their larger size requiring much more food and thus more territory per individual.

Extinction
The southern two subspecies died out about 6000 years ago, likely as a result of climate change reducing prey populations. A similar event would drive the Vastallos population extinct just over a millennium later. It is suspected that human hunting contributed to the Giant Ocelots' extinction, either by directly killing the cats or by hunting their already diminishing prey. The last confirmed fossils of Giant Ocelots were dated to about 5000 years ago, but a 4800-year-old cave painting made by ancestors of the Mamaco also depicts a Giant Ocelot. It may have been present at that time, or merely known from cultural memory, though the accuracy of the painting implies that the artist was familiar with the species. A dubious painting from 3900 years ago is also known, but archaeologists are unsure if it depicts a Giant Ocelot or a modern one.