Fewer than 80 ocelots survive in Texas, the northernmost edge of the species range. Conservation efforts focus on habitat connectivity and road mortality reduction.
Individual ocelots killed on Texas roads represent catastrophic losses from a population where every individual's survival matters. At fewer than 80 individuals, each road fatality reduces population viability measurably. The trauma of vehicle collision causes acute suffering for animals that survive initial impact before death. Habitat fragmentation confines ocelots to small areas where inbreeding stress compounds population vulnerability. The wildlife underpass success demonstrates that targeted infrastructure investment directly reduces individual welfare harm from road mortality. Border wall construction through ocelot habitat creates barriers preventing the genetic exchange with Mexico that the US population requires for long-term viability.