Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Mountain Lion Found Dead On 101 Freeway, Less Than A Mile From Future Wildlife Crossing Site
A rendering of what the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will look like once construction is complete.
(
Courtesy National Wildlife Federation and Living Habitats
)
A mountain lion was found dead early this morning on the 101 freeway in Agoura Hills, less than a mile from the future site of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.
California Highway Patrol officials were notified of the incident at about 4:45 a.m. Saturday morning. The cat was found dead on the side of the freeway near the Liberty Canyon Road exit, directly east of where the wildlife crossing will be located.
The crossing, a $90 million project, is under construction and is projected to open in late 2025 or early 2026. When completed, it will connect mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains with other populations to the north.
Beth Pratt, California executive director of National Wildlife Federation who's helped lead fundraising efforts for the wildlife bridge in Agoura Hills, said she learned about the incident this morning.
Support for LAist comes from
"This one was particularly heartbreaking because there is the crossing in the background — not completed yet," Pratt said. "It's just not coming soon enough for this cat."
What we know so far
A cause of death has not been identified. According to Pratt, the body of the mountain lion is now with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Then it'll likely go to the National Park Service, which has been conducting a long-term study of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains area.
Pratt is expecting to learn more about the mountain lion in the coming days after tests are conducted.
"We don't know anything about this cat," Pratt said, noting that there's no collar on the mountain lion, meaning that it had never been captured before by the Parks Service.
"If you can get DNA [information], it tells us a lot about where this cat came from," Pratt said.
Support for LAist comes from
It's rare for mountain lions to try to cross freeways — GPS data shows most mountain lions who approach freeways turn back around without attempting to cross.
However, the big cats can and do take the risk on occasion. Late local celebrity P-22 famously traversed two freeways to make his home in Griffith Park. And other freeways have proved deadly for mountain lions, including an accident on the 405 freeway that killed P-97 in 2022.
The will crossing will allow for safe crossing of the 101 Freeway and remedy one of the main issues facing local mountain lions: a lack of genetic diversity and connection to other populations to the north.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity. -
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
-
The weather’s been a little different lately, with humidity, isolated rain and wind gusts throughout much of Southern California. What’s causing the late-summer bout of gray?
Best of LAist