Research overview: conservation genetics of the ocelot in Texas

At the northern edge of its range, the ocelot persists in southern Texas as a few small, isolated populations cut off from larger Mexican populations by development and roads. This overview surveys genetic studies documenting low diversity, signs of inbreeding, and limited gene flow among the remaining Texas ocelots, and the conservation proposals to address them, including habitat corridors and the translocation of animals or genetic material from Mexico. It discusses how the Texas ocelot parallels the Florida panther as a small isolated felid population in need of genetic management, and what the comparison suggests for restoring connectivity across international borders.