Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Mountain Lion Bridge Planned Over The 101

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.


While we dream about building a park atop the 101 Freeway, L.A.’s wildlife may be getting a new bridge over the 101.Biologists tracking mountain lions over the past decade worry that the big cats are inbreeding in the Santa Monica Mountains because they’re cut off from other lions in the mountains above Simi Valley and further north, City News Service reports. Caltrans officials want a $2 million grant from the government to link two parts of wild state parkland just west of Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills.

The mountain lions have in the past used a freeway overpass over the 118 Freeway at Rocky Peak to cross over. The problem is that the lions have been killed crossing the 101 and the 405 in the area as well, as recently as last October.

National Park System biologists count 10 to 15 mountain lions from Point Mugu east to the 405, in one case further east into the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park. According to NPS biologist Seth Riley, the latest known litter of cubs was born from a male mountain lion mating with his daughter, in the hills above Malibu. He told KPCC last winter:

“If animals can't disperse out, you may be more likely to get close inbreeding, and we've seen a number of instances where fathers have mated with daughters.”
Support for LAist comes from

And just FYI: There have been no mountain lion attacks on humans reported in recent years.

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
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist