A female ocelot named Evita, born in January at Woodland Park Zoo, is ready to greet the public after a short period getting acclimated to her exhibit. Beginning Thursday, May 5, zoo-goers will have a chance to see Evita in the Tropical Rain Forest exhibit (the best times to view the kitten and mom are between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.).
Evita was born to mother, Bella, and father, Brazil, marking their second litter. Since her birth, Evita had lived in an off-view maternal den where staff monitored her growth, progress and the level of maternal care via a closed-circuit cam. According to staff, the kitten is healthy, playful and has exceeded all of the physical and mental benchmarks. Her favorite activity is chasing her mom’s tail.
Of the kitten’s first steps out into the Tropical Rain Forest exhibit in late April, the zoo’s website says:
“Evita has been bonding with Bella in a behind-the-scenes area since her birth in January. (April 18)marked the first time the kitten was given access to her full exhibit. Her entry into the exhibit was tentative. She would climb the ramp that connects her behind-the-scenes space with the enclosure, poke her head into the exhibit and look around, but then retreat to her den behind-the-scenes.
After a few of those false starts, curiosity took hold and Evita eventually followed the calls of her mom and she entered the exhibit space. Evita stayed close to her mom the whole time as she explored this new place filled with plants and dirt and mist from above.”
The kitten’s keeper added:
“She seems to be going out there more and more each day. It’s just hard to predict when since the choice is hers. It’s worth stopping by the Tropical Rain Forest on your next visit to see if she’s out there. But once we get a better sense of good times to view, we’ll share.
At least one Seattle parent expects seeing Evita will be a regular request for family outings: “Our two-year-old daughter who is (already an ocelot fan) was completely transfixed with the kitten. We can’t wait to see her again,” the zoo patron wrote.
An endangered species, ocelots are small spotted cats that range throughout Mexico, Central and South America to northern Argentina, with remnant populations in the southwestern United States. In the wild, ocelots continue to lose ground with their ever-shrinking habitat and black market pet trade. Today, only 100 or so are thought to remain in the U.S.
For more information, and to see adorable photos, visit Woodland Park Zoo’s web site.
