Everyone deserves to find a companion in the big city – even wild animals!
Just a couple of weeks ago, mountain lion P-61 made headlines when he traveled across two freeways to make a huge Los Angeles park his new home. What may seem like an easy cross is, in reality, a dangerous treck for the city’s constantly shrinking mountain lion population, posing a great risk of becoming roadkill to the species. [Featured photo: Resource Conservation District]
Transportation officials and conservationists have plans to build a predominately privately funded wildlife crossing over the major Southern California freeway – the U.S. 101 – to take major steps in preventing the extinction of mountain lions as well as other species that require room to roam. The wildlife overpass will provide big cats, coyotes, deer, lizards, and snakes a safe route to the open space they know by nature. It will also create an opportunity for better access to food and increase the chances of finding a potential mate.
This overpass is said by officials to be the first of its kind near a big city and is on track to be the largest in the world, stretching 200 feet above 10 busy highway lanes. The $87 million dollar bridge entered its final design phase last month and is projected to be completed by the year 2023, according to engineer Sheik Moinuddin.