Research overview: ocelot road mortality in south Texas

The ocelot population in south Texas is one of the most endangered cat populations in the United States, and vehicle collisions are a primary threat, making road ecology central to its survival. This overview synthesizes telemetry and mortality research showing how the remaining ocelots, confined to fragmented thornscrub habitat, suffer high road-kill rates as they move within and between dense cover patches. The overview discusses efforts to mitigate the threat through wildlife crossings and fencing tailored to ocelot behavior, which favors dense vegetation and enclosed passages, and the monitoring needed to confirm use. With so few individuals remaining, every road death is demographically significant. Ocelot road-mortality research illustrates how, for a tiny relict felid population, understanding and reducing road impacts on movement can be decisive for persistence.