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SPEAKER 1: They are elusive[br]and they are endangered.

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Only a few dozen of these[br]beautiful cats, called ocelots,

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are actually left in the[br]United States, and most of them

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live in the Rio Grande Valley.

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Sadly, seven of[br]the rare cats were

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killed in just the past year,[br]hit by traffic while trying

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to cross busy highways.

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That's why TxDOT is now teaming[br]up with the US Fish and Wildlife

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Service, they're designing[br]special highway crossings

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to help the species survive.

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Channel 2'S Lauren Freeman[br]reveals those plans.

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HILLARY SWARTS: Sort of[br]a take on the old riddle

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of, why did the[br]ocelot cross the road?

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LAUREN FREEMAN: To reach new[br]territory or a female mate,

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young ocelot males forced out[br]of their habitat by older ones.

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Instead of crossing[br]busy highways,

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this safer alternative is under[br]construction and underpass.

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HILLARY SWARTS: So were[br]I a cat, here I would go.

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LAUREN FREEMAN: So how will[br]these endangered animals

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know where to find[br]the special crossing?

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HILLARY SWARTS: We can't put[br]up a sign for the ocelots that

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says, cross here, cross here.

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LAUREN FREEMAN:[br]Wildlife staff are

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installing chain link fences.

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HILLARY SWARTS: Above this, and[br]going down along the sides--

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LAUREN FREEMAN: To funnel the[br]animals in the right direction.

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It's already working in the[br]Valley between Port Isabel

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and Brownsville.

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Check out these[br]surveillance pictures.

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HILLARY SWARTS: You[br]are really talking

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about understanding the[br]animals, biology, movements,

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and what they prefer.

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LAUREN FREEMAN:[br]The new underpasses

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are being built along[br]State Highway 106, which

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crosses the Laguna atascosa[br]Wildlife Refuge, where

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a new road is expected[br]to speed up traffic,

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making it just as deadly for[br]the ocelots as highway 100,

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on the way to[br]South Padre Island,

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four were killed there[br]trying to cross a big impact

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on their tiny population.

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Lauren Freeman, KPRC 2 News.

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SPEAKER 1: The US Fish[br]and Wildlife Service

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says only about 50[br]ocelots remain here

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in the US most live on that[br]refuge down in South Texas.

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SPEAKER 2: While[br]the temps are cool--