IMPACTS OF AN EXPANDED HIGHWAY ON OCELOTS AND BOBCATS IN SOUTHERN TEXAS AND THEIR PREFERENCES FOR HIGHWAY CROSSINGS

Vehicle collisions are a significant cause of mortality for the endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in southern Texas. To minimize such impacts, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has designed and modified culverts to facilitate ocelot road crossings near occupied or potentially occupied ocelot habitat. Culverts were recently modified in connection with a project expanding a section of U.S. Highway 281 in Live Oak County, Texas where potential ocelot habitat occurs. The objectives of this research were to assess the likelihood that an ocelot population exists in the area, determine the effects of the highway expansion on resident ocelots, and to assess the effectiveness of the highway crossing structures for free-ranging cats. To date, the authors have not documented ocelots in the study area; however, their trapping effort will continue for another 6 months. The authors have captured and radiocollared 7 bobcats (Lynx rufus) that will be used as surrogates for the similarly sized ocelot. They have documented radiocollared bobcats crossing the expanded section of the highway and that used the highway culverts for both daybeds and crossing structures. A roadkill survey has shown a large number of vehicle-related mortalities along the expanded section of highway, including one radiocollared bobcat. This project, which will be completed in 1999, will provide information necessary for TxDOT to evaluate the effects of roads on ocelots and bobcats and to determine if crossing structures are effective and which structural design is used most readily by a variety of wildlife species.

• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hewitt, D G
  • Cain, A
  • Tuovila, V
  • Shindle, D B
  • Tewes, M E
• Conference:
  • International Conference on Wildlife Ecology and Transportation (ICOWET 1998)
  • Location: Fort Myers Florida, United States
  • Date: 1998-2-9 to 1998-2-12
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 126-134
• Monograph Title: PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON WILDLIFE ECOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION (ICOWET)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cats; Culverts; Endangered species; Fatalities; Field studies; Highways; Impacts; Road kill; Structural design; Wildlife
• Uncontrolled Terms: Bobcat; Ocelot; Radio collars
• Geographic Terms: Texas
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Design; Environment; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; I21: Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00784501
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 8 2000 12:00AM