Starting tonight, the southbound 101 freeway in Agoura Hills will be closed 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. for the next few weeks — as Caltrans continues building what’s described as the world’s largest wildlife bridge. The annoyance for drivers will provide safe passage from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Santa Susana Mountain Range for species that need to roam for food and breeding.
“If we do not build this wildlife crossing, it is almost certain that mountain lions will not have a future in the Santa Monica Mountains. But it's also biologically important for all wildlife there. The Santa Monica Mountains is one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world,” says Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, California director for the National Wildlife Federation.
The bridge will also serve as natural habitat for the animals, featuring trees, soil, and native plants. Humans will not be allowed there, but other critters such as foxes and lizards will be able to inhabit the area.
“This just isn't a bridge for animals to walk across. You'll have foxes maybe raising a family on it, western fence lizards. Although mountain lions get the most press because everybody loves cats, this is being designed for everything from monarch butterflies to mountain lions. It really is a whole-scale solution to reconnecting that Santa Monica Mountains ecosystem to the rest of the world.”
One problem that the crossing will hopefully alleviate is genetic isolation, Pratt-Bergstrom adds.
“The animals get to it, they are like, ‘Nuh-uh, I'm turning around.’ The mountain lions south of the 101 are inbreeding themselves all out of existence. They can't get dates outside their family. So they're breeding with their daughters and granddaughters and great-granddaughters. … Inbreeding causes all sorts of problems. They're starting to show birth defects.”
The project, which is funded by public and private dollars, is expected to be finished in 2026.
“If we do not build this wildlife crossing, it is almost certain that mountain lions will not have a future in the Santa Monica Mountains. But it's also biologically important for all wildlife there. The Santa Monica Mountains is one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world,” says Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, California director for the National Wildlife Federation. Credit: National Wildlife Federation