The ocelot
One of the predators of sloths that eat sloths that you should know is the ocelot. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a medium-sized spotted wild cat with shoulders measuring 40-50 cm (15.7-19.7 in) and weighing between 8 and 15.5 kg (17.6 and 34.2 lb). Carl Linnaeus described it for the first time in 1758. There are two subspecies recognized. It is native to the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central and South America, as well as Trinidad and Margarita in the Caribbean. It prefers areas with dense vegetation and high prey availability near water sources.
Ocelots have been observed following scent trails in order to catch prey. They walk at a slow pace of about 0.3 km/h (0.2 mph) in search of prey. Alternatively, an ocelot may wait for prey for 30 to 60 minutes at one location before moving to another at 0.8-1.4 km/h (0.5-0.9 mph). To avoid being seen by the prey, an ocelot prefers to hunt in areas with vegetation cover, avoiding open areas, especially on moonlit nights. It preys on small terrestrial mammals such as rodents, lagomorphs, armadillos, and opossums, as well as fish, crustaceans, insects, reptiles, and small birds as a carnivore. It usually feeds on the kill right away, but it first removes the bird's feathers. The ocelot typically preys on animals weighing less than 1 kg (2.2 lb), but it rarely attacks large ungulates such as deer and sheep, as well as peccaries, anteaters, monkeys, and tortoises.
According to Andy, a Natience.com writer, ocelots like to hunt their prey at dusk and at night. They, like leopards, will stalk their prey slowly. In fact, they can stay in one spot for up to an hour waiting for prey to appear. They make it difficult for their prey to notice their presence by remaining in one location and remaining exceedingly calm and quiet. If they see a sloth on or near the ground, they will pounce on them, catching them off guard. A sloth has very little possibility of resisting or escaping from this situation.
