2. In the United States, the ocelot, a type of wild
cat found in Texas, has been an endangered
species since 1982. The most important cause
of the ocelot's decline is loss of its habitat.
Almost 95 percent of the native land cover of
south Texas has been altered, and the ocelot
has been unable to adapt to the resulting
decrease in the thick vegetation that provides
it shelter. Hope for the ocelot's survival rests
on restoring a portion of south Texas to its
natural state.
f
The passage suggests that the ocelot needs a
habitat that
(A) provides areas sheltered by plants
(B) has little variation in temperature
(C) is home to few other animals
(D) has been altered by human activities