Research overview: crossing-structure use by bobcats and small cats

Wildlife crossings are often designed with large mammals in mind, but smaller felids such as bobcats have distinct preferences, and this overview examines how they use such structures. Monitoring shows that bobcats frequently use culverts and underpasses, sometimes favoring smaller, more enclosed passages that offer cover, in contrast to the open overpasses preferred by some larger species. The overview discusses how structure dimensions, cover, substrate, and human activity influence use, and how telemetry and camera data reveal whether crossings actually maintain connectivity for small-cat populations split by roads. Because bobcats persist in suburban mosaics, their movement across roads bears directly on urban carnivore conservation. The overview underscores that effective crossing design must account for the behavioral preferences of small felids, not only charismatic megafauna.