Research overview: oncilla distribution across Central and South America

The oncilla, also called the tigrina or little spotted cat, is a small spotted felid distributed in a fragmented fashion from Central America through the Andes and into Brazil and beyond. This overview compiles records describing its occurrence in a range of habitats, including montane cloud forest, Atlantic forest, savanna, and high-elevation grassland, with notable variation across its range. The species distribution is patchy and complicated by taxonomic uncertainty, as the oncilla has been split into more than one species. Mapping its occurrence is hampered by rarity, secretiveness, and confusion with similar small cats. Clarifying distribution matters because the oncilla appears to be uncommon and fragmented across much of its range, raising conservation concern for several distinct populations.