Rare ocelot found dead on highway

[TexasTowelie]

An endangered ocelot, one of only a handful left in the United States, was struck and killed last week on state Highway 100.

The male ocelot was found dead July 9 along the concrete traffic barrier between Laguna Vista and Los Fresnos.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the endangered cat’s injuries were consistent with being hit by a car.

The ocelot was one of 12 that officials were monitoring and only five breeding male cats at the refuge.

More at http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/rare-ocelot-found-dead-on-highway/article_8b69d0de-0e30-11e4-b9dd-0017a43b2370.html . (McAllen Monitor)

[SunSeeker]

1. They need to install wildlife crossings!

From the article:

It is the fourth ocelot killed by a vehicle on Highway 100 and the third in the last four years since the concrete traffic barrier was built. A similar cat was killed in November.

The concrete barrier has cut down the number of traffic accidents and eliminated head-on collisions, but is being blamed for animal deaths.

Wildlife biologists have been pushing to have wildlife crossings built on Highway 100. The under-the-road passages allow animals to safely cross high-traffic areas. Refuge officials say a wildlife crossing on state Highway 48 near the Bahia Grande has been used by bobcats, raccoons and coyotes.

[BrotherIvan]

4. +1

Should be mandated on all new roads. I see so much wildlife lying by the side of the road and I'm in a major city!

[shenmue]

2. Poor thing

[Lunabell]

3. I didn't know we had ocelots here in the US.

This is beyond sad.

[TexasTowelie]

5. Yes we do. Here are some of my earlier posts:

Rare ocelot kitten discovered in South Texas
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107816253


Ocelot kitteh duz teh perp wak.

Update: It's a girl! Ocelot kitten's gender engenders hope for species' future
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107817319

Ocelot tracking program improves roadway crossings
http://www.democraticunderground.com/107817804