A mountain lion was discovered deceased on Saturday, June 15, along the Ventura (101) Freeway near Agoura Hills, in close proximity to the location of the wildlife crossing currently being constructed over the freeway.
The animal was located in the far right lane of the southbound freeway near Liberty Canyon Road, as reported by the California Highway Patrol. A call about a potential animal on the road was received at 4:48 a.m.
Advocates for wildlife are optimistic that the crossing will help preserve the endangered local population of mountain lions, which could face extinction if the cats continue to inbreed due to the limited number of individuals in the area.
Construction on the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing began in 2022 and is projected to be finished by late 2025 or early 2026.
This fully landscaped crossing is designed to establish a connection between the small group of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and the larger, genetically diverse populations to the north. Officials have stated that this crossing will be the largest of its kind in the country.
Decades of road development and construction have been detrimental to animals attempting to traverse the freeways in the area, leading to isolated habitats that have genetically isolated various wildlife species from bobcats to birds and lizards.
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For more details on the project, visit www.101wildlifecrossing.org
