A mountain lion was discovered useless Saturday morning on the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills, not removed from a wildlife crossing being constructed to scale back the variety of cougar fatalities.
The puma’s physique was found about 5 a.m. within the far proper lane of the freeway close to Liberty Canyon Highway, in accordance with the California Freeway Patrol. Troopers moved the cougar to the shoulder of the freeway and enlisted the assistance of California Fish and Wildlife, which confirmed Saturday morning that it collected the mountain lion’s physique for gathering DNA.
The cougar, which was not sporting a monitoring collar, was killed close to the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a $30-million passageway that crosses over the busy 10-lane freeway, stated Beth Pratt, regional government director of the Nationwide Wildlife Federation. It was probably hit by a automotive; she stated there was contemporary blood on the freeway. She stated not a lot else is but recognized concerning the mountain lion, together with its age or intercourse.
“Clearly we have now an answer coming, however it didn’t come quickly sufficient for this cat,” Pratt stated. “That is simply one other harsh reminder that that is the precise place [for the crossing].”
Development of the wildlife passage started in 2022, and it’s set to be accomplished in 2026. It’s thought of the biggest wildlife crossing on the earth, Pratt stated, in a much-needed space the place mountain lions are recognized to aim to cross.
Already, there are indicators that different animals are utilizing the crossing, and by the tip of the 12 months, officers hope to start including soil and crops to the crossing in order that it blends into the atmosphere and creates a secure area for the animals, Pratt stated.
In January, Uno, a feminine mountain lion usually seen patrolling the mountains in Orange County, was killed after being struck by a automobile on a highway close to the Limestone Canyon Nature Protect. The cougar, recognized as F312, had been tagged by researchers in 2021 when she was about 2 years previous.
In January 2023, mountain lion P-81 was killed on Pacific Coast Freeway, in all probability struck by a automotive, the Nationwide Park Service introduced. The 4-year-old male cougar’s stays had been collected on PCH close to Las Posas Highway in Ventura County.
In July 2022, mountain lion P-89, a 2-year-old male, was fatally struck by a automotive on the 101 Freeway in Woodland Hills. That dying got here a few month after a 5-year-old feminine mountain lion had been killed by a automotive within the Santa Monica Mountains.
