Papaoutai The Ocelot Making Swift Recovery
A young ocelot treated by the La Romain Veterinary Clinic is recovering swiftly after being admitted with injuries likely caused by illegal hunting.
Named Papaoutai by Dr Kriyaan Singh of the La Romain Veterinary Clinic, the young, injured ocelot was found in the forests of Granville, Cedros.
Dr. Singh explained more about the name he chose: « The image in my mind associated with him and so on was, when he was shot there, he would have been asking, you know, these are the Papa Bois, the people of Trinidad, he was supposed to be the Papa Bois, but where is the Papa Bois now? So that’s why I got the name that he was calling out, Papa, where are you? And that’s how it stuck with him. »
He said Papaoutai is making a swift recovery, just four days after the heartbreaking discovery.
« Papaoutai, the ocelot, is stable, stable means that he no longer has any blood, any great level of blood loss, the injury site is stable, and we have him on IV fluids, he is able to eat, he’s passing urine, so pretty much he is stable. »
Dr. Singh discovered that the animal may have been illegally shot by hunters, an act that is strictly prohibited under the Conservation of Wildlife Act of Trinidad and Tobago.
« We observed that he had a gaping hole underneath his neck with several porcupine quills around it. So the initial thought was maybe it was a fight with a porcupine he was hunting with. But as we began cleaning the wound and investigating, we realised he didn’t just have a porcupine attack, there was actually a gunshot wound. »
Dr. Singh said it is important for citizens to ensure the protection of endangered species, advising them to stay abreast of information under the Environmental Management Act (EMA) before venturing into wildlife habitats.
« For my own part, you know, when we publicise things like this, the first question we get from the public is, ‘Can we have one of these as a pet?’ And that is where the EMA has to. When they see that these questions are being asked, they have to go out and put out the information about the ocelot. No, you cannot have this as a pet. It’s a wild animal. You should not be a part of the wild animal trade, you know. So they do play a key and critical role. »
The case also caught the attention of Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, Kennedy Swaratsingh, who also has responsibility for the environment.
He condemned the harming of this animal and reminded the public that it is strictly prohibited to harm, hunt, capture, trade and kill these Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS).
The Minister commended the concerned citizens, the game wardens of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Forestry Division, the staff of the La Romain Veterinary Clinic and the Reptile Conservation Centre for their efforts in ensuring Papaoutai is safe.
Minister Swaratsingh advised the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to work more rigorously with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the Wildlife Section of the Forestry Division to bring perpetrators to justice.
This incident follows the killing of an ocelot on December 10th, 2025, in Grande Riviere, Toco.
