Ocelots in Brazil's fragmented Atlantic Forest face severe road mortality as they cross highways connecting forest fragments, with road ecology interventions showing promise.
Ocelots killed on roads suffer immediate traumatic death or severe injury. In highly fragmented landscapes, animals attempting to maintain territories across road networks face chronic road-crossing risk. GPS studies have revealed that ocelots cross some of Brazil's busiest highways regularly, indicating that habitat fragmentation has overcome natural road avoidance. Wildlife passages — underpasses and overpasses with guiding fencing — significantly reduce mortality and have been shown to be used by ocelots at instrumented sites.