Research overview: wildlife crossings and road mitigation for small felids

Road mortality is a major threat to ocelots and other small cats in developing landscapes, prompting investment in crossing structures, fencing and culvert modifications. This overview synthesises evaluations of wildlife underpasses and fencing along Texas highways and analogous projects elsewhere, examining how crossing placement, dimensions, cover and fencing continuity determine whether small felids use them and whether roadkill declines. It compares small-cat crossing needs with those of larger carnivores and discusses monitoring approaches. The synthesis frames road mitigation as a tractable, evidence-driven intervention for reducing a leading mortality source in fragmented small-felid populations near agriculture and settlement.