Highway Crossing Rates of Wild Felids Before, During, and After Wildlife Crossing Structure Installation.

ABSTRACT: In an environment increasingly dominated by roads, wildlife crossing structures (WCS) have been installed to decrease wildlife mortality and improve habitat linkages. In South Texas, vehicle collisions have been a major mortality source for the endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis). To mitigate threats to this species, eight WCS, along with associated fencing, were strategically placed along Farm-to-Market Road 106 (FM106), which passes through ocelot habitat. We assessed the rate of on-roadway crossings and WCS use by GPS-collared animals before, during, and after WCS installation using camera traps to verify WCS use. Because of the rarity of ocelots in this region, we supplemented ocelot data with data from bobcats (Lynx rufus), a similarly sized felid with slightly more g

SUBMITTER: Lehnen SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11666422 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature