Research overview: Florida I-75 panther underpasses

When Interstate 75 was extended across southern Florida as Alligator Alley, wildlife underpasses with continuous fencing were incorporated specifically to reduce roadkill of the endangered Florida panther, becoming one of the earliest large-scale mitigation efforts for a big cat. This overview describes how the underpasses and fencing funnel panthers and other wildlife safely beneath the highway, and how monitoring has documented their use and a reduction in panther road mortality at mitigated stretches. Vehicle collisions remain a leading cause of death for the small panther population, so crossing structures are integral to its recovery. The overview discusses the design and effectiveness of these passages and their influence on later road-ecology projects. The Florida panther underpasses are a pioneering model for engineering highways to accommodate felid movement.