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Daily Read: Wildlife

Ocelot First Uses Texas Wildlife Underpass

The endangered ocelot, once common in the American Southwest, now numbers fewer than 100 in the United States, with habitat loss and fragmentation as the biggest threats. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the 120,000‑acre Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge still required cats to cross a busy road to reach dense habitat. Texas began building eight wildlife underpasses on FM 106 in 2013, completing the project in summer 2019. Remote trail cameras captured the first ocelot using the underpass on January 25 2020; the animal, a 5‑year‑old collar‑tagged individual named OM331, crossed beneath the roadway after a week of observation. A 2024 study indicates animals may take years to acclimate to crossings, but early use suggests the structures are effective. The Texas Department of Transportation has since built 32 crossings statewide, 21 of which are in South Texas to protect ocelots, and the state received $1.8 million from the FHWA Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program in 2023 to expand these projects. The crossings have benefited 26 species, including mountain lions, alligators, and bobcats, demonstrating broad ecological value.

· Good Good Good

The essential points

  1. 01First ocelot observed using FM106 underpass on Jan 25 2020, marking a milestone for Texas wildlife conservation.
  2. 02Texas DOT has built 32 wildlife crossings statewide, with 21 located in South Texas to safeguard the endangered ocelot.
  3. 03In 2023, the state secured $1.8 million from the FHWA Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program to expand road‑safe crossings.
  4. 04A 2024 study shows 26 species—including mountain lion, alligator, bobcat, and coyote—have used the crossings, proving their broader ecological value.
The full brief

The endangered ocelot, once common in the American Southwest, now numbers fewer than 100 in the United States, with habitat loss and fragmentation as the biggest threats. In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the 120,000‑acre Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge still required cats to cross a busy road to reach dense habitat. Texas began building eight wildlife underpasses on FM 106 in 2013, completing the project in summer 2019.

Remote trail cameras captured the first ocelot using the underpass on January 25 2020; the animal, a 5‑year‑old collar‑tagged individual named OM331, crossed beneath the roadway after a week of observation. A 2024 study indicates animals may take years to acclimate to crossings, but early use suggests the structures are effective. The Texas Department of Transportation has since built 32 crossings statewide, 21 of which are in South Texas to protect ocelots, and the state received $1.

8 million from the FHWA Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program in 2023 to expand these projects. The crossings have benefited 26 species, including mountain lions, alligators, and bobcats, demonstrating broad ecological value.