Roads fragment jaguar habitat and cause vehicle strike mortality across Latin America. Wildlife crossings and road planning reforms can significantly reduce welfare harms to this iconic big cat.
Road vehicle strikes cause acute, often fatal welfare harms to jaguars. Animals struck by vehicles may survive initial impact with severe traumatic injuries — broken bones, internal injuries, and neurological damage — that cause prolonged suffering before death or rescue. Roads also fragment territories, forcing jaguars to attempt more crossings and increasing cumulative mortality risk. Habitat fragmentation isolates populations, reducing genetic diversity and increasing vulnerability to local extinction. Infrastructure expansion without wildlife-friendly design features is an avoidable cause of suffering. Wildlife crossing structures — underpasses and overpasses — reduce vehicle strike mortality substantially when sited at locations animals naturally use. Environmental impact assessments for new roads in jaguar range should be required to include wildlife crossing provisions.