Why Texas animals have dedicated crossings throughout the state now

The bridges were created in part to protect endangered species like the ocelot and Houston toad.

By Ariana Garcia
Sep 11, 2023

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Most of the wildlife crossings in Texas were constructed to protect the endangered ocelot species.

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Throughout the Lone Star State, bridges made for wildlife have been popping up along major stretches of highway since the 1990s—and more are on the way. To date, the Texas Department of Transportation has built 32 wildlife crossings to help keep both drivers and animals—especially species that are endangered—safe on the road. In August, TxDOT applied for a federal grant funding from the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program for two more locations to protect the wild animals.

The program is part of the $1.12 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which made $350 million available over five years for construction of wildlife crossings. "There are multiple drivers that spurred TxDOT to create wildlife crossings," said Julien Devereux, a spokesperson for TxDOT. "The Endangered Species Act is one; concerns over resiliency from flooding and driver safety are two others."

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To date, the Texas Department of Transportation has constructed 32 animal crossings throughout the state.

TxDOT

Twenty-one of the bridges were built in locations in South Texas—including Corpus Christi, Pharr, and Laredo—specifically to protect ocelots that live near the Mexico border. Once found throughout the Southwestern U.S., fewer than 100 of the wildcats remain in South Texas. The species, which has been greatly reduced in population due to habitat loss and fragmentation, has been listed as endangered since 1972, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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Most wildlife crossings in Texas were created to protect the endangered ocelot.

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An ocelot mother and her kitten were spotted crossing the street in South Texas earlier this year.

Jake Strouf

Wildlife crossings have also been installed in Corpus Christi, El Paso, and Austin. Specifically, crossings in Austin were created to protect the endangered Houston toad, an endangered species of amphibian endemic to Texas, Devereux said. The crossing in El Paso was spurred by vehicle collisions with mule deer in the Franklin Mountains.

More:
https://www.chron.com/life/wildlife/article/texas-wildlife-bridges-txdot-18355552.php