Road-crossings, vegetative cover, land use and poisons interact to influence corridor effectiveness

Abstract Landscape connectivity is essential to conserving resilient wildlife populations in the Anthropocene. Maintaining connectivity requires preserving or restoring patches of habitat, accounting for the behavioral factors that determine movement between patches and mitigating threats. We measured natural and anthropogenic features that influence movement and mortality for bobcats (Lynx rufus) in a system threatened with complete isolation by urbanization. Our overarching objective was to inform local land acquisition and restoration to maintain two last-chance wildlife corridors. We collected five-minute movement data from 36 bobcats in central California to assess features of road-crossing hotspots and model habitat selection, including functional responses to housing densities and vegetation. We collected opportunistic mortalities and assessed rat poison exposure to evaluate edge effects as acute threats. Bobcats strongly selected for natural vegetation, evident at the level of a single tree or shrub. Individuals selected low-density housing (