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How highways brought some SoCal animals to the brink
A rendering of what the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will look like once construction is complete.
(
National Wildlife Federation and Living Habitats
)
Their plights inspire ambitious projects to undo some of the damage.
Topline:
In an interview with environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb, we talk about the myriad ways roads affect wild animals, and whether the nearly $100 million wildlife crossing over the 101 Freeway sets a difficult precedent.
Why it matters: Roads and highways have brought some animals — including the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains — to the brink of extinction by cutting off vital habitat and migration routes, among other problems.
Why now: Road ecologists have helped communities and public officials realize the extent of the damage, and how we might fix it. One example is the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing under construction in Los Angeles.
The backstory: The first wildlife crossings date back to the 1950s in Europe, Goldfarb told us, where hunters wanted deer to be able to move across the landscape. Today, the late P-22, the mountain lion that became famous when he took up residence in Griffith Park — and who's the subject of episode 1 of our latest series Imperfect Paradise: “Lions, Coyotes, & Bears” — is helping inspire ambitious projects to undo some of the damage we've done to wildlife with our prolific road-building.
Go deeper: Listen to the interview with Goldfarb in Ep. 5 of "Lions, Coyotes, & Bears."
Listen
29:48
LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle speaks with Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, wildlife enthusiast, and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. They discuss how roads impact the wild animals in our midst, what wildlife crossings can do to mitigate that impact, and some of the other ecological solutions that are taking shape.
Lions, Coyotes, & Bears: Part 5 - Roads & Wildlife
LAist Correspondent Jill Replogle speaks with Ben Goldfarb, an environmental journalist, wildlife enthusiast, and author of Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. They discuss how roads impact the wild animals in our midst, what wildlife crossings can do to mitigate that impact, and some of the other ecological solutions that are taking shape.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
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