April 2, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

Caltrans Plans to Build Bridge for Santa Monica Mountains Wildlife to Cross 101 Freeway

 

The National Park System has conducted research on lions in the Santa Monica Mountains since 2002; results show that they have been deprived of interaction with other lions from different areas. (Thinkstock)
The National Park System has conducted research on lions in the Santa Monica Mountains since 2002; results show that they have been deprived of interaction with other lions from different areas. (Thinkstock)

Caltrans officials plan to build a bridge for mountain lions and other wild animals to cross the Ventura (101) Freeway west of Los Angeles, officials said today.

The National Park System has been tracking mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains since 2002, and its biologists worry that the big cats are inbreeding because they are cut off from other lions in the mountains around Simi Valley and further north.

Caltrans officials announced that a $2 million planning and design grant is being sought from the federal government’s infrastructure funding program. Earlier estimates for the wildlife corridor crossing cost were about $10 million.

“The new crossing will better integrate the environment and transportation systems, fostering better wildlife connectivity on either side of the 101 and increasing public safety by reducing the risk for collisions between vehicles and wildlife,” said Carrie Bowen, the Caltrans director for Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Tracking devices have in the past detected lions crossing back and forth over the Reagan (118) Freeway on a little-used road overpass at Rocky Peak. The new 101 overpass or underpass would link two fingers of wild state parkland just west of Liberty Canyon Road in Agoura Hills.

Lions have been killed crossing the 101 at Agoura Hills — most recently last October — and attempting to cross the San Diego (405) Freeway at Sepulveda Pass. About 10-15 cougars range from Point Mugu east to the 405, and in one case further east into the Hollywood Hills and Griffith Park, according to NPS biologist Seth Riley.

The latest known litter of cubs, born in the mountains above Malibu, was the product of a male mountain lion mating with one of his daughters, Riley has said.

“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,” Riley told KPCC radio last winter.

One male mountain lion managed to cross south across the 101 to seek a mate in the Santa Monica Mountains. He fathered a litter with one Malibu-area cougar, but later mated again with a cub from that litter, Riley said.

The local lions eat deer, and biologists say they are an important part of the biology and ecological balance in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

No attacks on humans in western Los Angeles County have been reported in recent years. But two hikers have been mauled and killed by mountain lions in Orange and San Diego counties in the past two decades.

Related Posts

LAX Airport Server Finds Hate-Filled Message From Unidentified Diners

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Waiter Says He Was Stunned by the Message Left by Customers Guillermo Ortiz, who works at Planet Hollywood inside the...

Sunset Strip Staple Le Petit Four Shuts Down After Landlord Pulls the Plug

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

End of an Era: Le Petit Four Forced to Close in West Hollywood In a stunning reversal to the upbeat...

Metro LA Pushes Back Sepulveda Transit Community Meetings

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

Environmental Review Delay Prompts Metro to Reschedule  Metro announced that community meetings scheduled for early April to discuss the Sepulveda...

County Board Approves New Homeless Agency, Redirecting Millions from Existing System

April 2, 2025

April 2, 2025

With Billions on the Line, LA County Moves to Centralize Homeless Response Los Angeles County is making a dramatic shift...

Put the Phone Down: LAPD and CHP Targets Distracted Drivers in April Crackdown

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Hands-Free Law Violations Could Now Cost You More Than Just a Fine Throughout April, the Los Angeles Police Department will...

Five Arrested in Culver City After Attempted Carjacking and Vandalism Incident

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Gun, Warrants, and Broken Glass: Culver City Police Tackle Two Crimes Police arrested four juveniles in connection with an attempted...

Kim Delaney, Partner Cleared After Weekend Arrest in Marina del Rey

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Emmy-Winning Actress and Partner James Morgan Released Kim Delaney, the Emmy-winning actress recognized for her roles in NYPD Blue and...

(Video) Spending an Afternoon at Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Go To Pacpark.com For Tickets and More Information. Go To https://t.co/fDDgcY6b3e For Tickets and More Information.#amusementpark #rides #rollercoaster #summer #spring...

Matū Kai to Debut in Brentwood With Grass Fed Wagyu and Global Flair This Week

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Farm-To-Fork Beef, Wood-Fired Flavors, and Sustainability Meet on San Vicente The team behind Beverly Hills’ acclaimed steakhouse Matū will soon...

Mid-City Freeway Death Under Investigation After Caltrans Workers Find Blanket-Covered Body

April 1, 2025

April 1, 2025

Woman Discovered on 10 Freeway Shoulder Identified; CHP Launches Probe Caltrans workers discovered a woman’s dead body around 9:00 a.m....

Community Support Saves Beloved West Hollywood Café from Closure

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Packed Tables and Emotional Messages Helped Keep the Doors Open Le Petit Four, the popular Sunset Boulevard café known for...

Egg Beaters Recalled Over Possible Chemical Contamination

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Massive Liquid Egg Recall Includes California Shipments Cargill Kitchen Solutions is recalling approximately 212,268 pounds of liquid egg products after...

Los Angeles County’s Measure A Raises Sales Tax On April 1, And It’s No Joke

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Culver City, and Malibu Will See Higher Increases Starting April 1, Los Angeles County residents will...

Robbery Boast on Instagram Helps Send Beverly Hills Heist Suspect to Prison

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Flashy Post, Federal Time: Smash-and-Grab Mastermind Sentenced Ladell Tharpe, 39, received an 84-month sentence from U.S. District Judge George H....

Culver City Rolls Out Hi-Lo Siren to Warn Residents During Emergencies

March 31, 2025

March 31, 2025

Hi-Lo Warning System Activated: Culver City Adds New Evacuation Tool In an effort to strengthen emergency preparedness and public safety,...