Hutchinson Zoo to celebrate World Ocelot Day with free public event March 7

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Zoo will mark World Ocelot Day with a free public celebration Saturday, March 7, featuring educational programming and a live feeding demonstration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the zoo's Carey Park location.

The event will include a hands-on learning station staffed by the zoo's education team, along with a scheduled ocelot feeding at noon that organizers say draws consistent crowds.

Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

Ocelots are medium-sized wild cats native to South and Central America, ranging from northern Argentina to the southwestern United States. Roughly twice the size of a domestic cat, they are distinguished by their striking spotted and streaked coats, which historically made them a target of the fur trade. The species was listed as endangered in the United States for decades before rebounding in some regions, though ocelot populations remain vulnerable across much of their range due to habitat loss and fragmentation.

In the wild, ocelots are largely nocturnal and solitary hunters, preying on small mammals, birds and reptiles. They are highly territorial and require dense vegetation for cover, making deforestation a significant threat to wild populations. Fewer than 100 ocelots are estimated to remain in the United States, primarily in southern Texas.

Accredited zoos have played an increasingly active role in ocelot conservation through managed breeding programs and public education initiatives. World Ocelot Day, observed annually in early March, is intended to raise awareness of the species' conservation status and highlight efforts to protect remaining wild populations.

The Hutchinson Zoo is located within Carey Park at 6 Emerson Loop East in Hutchinson. For more information, contact the zoo directly or visit its Facebook event page.