A Bridge Will Help Humans and Lions Coexist in Los Angeles

[MAC123]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

You guys worry about your little pussies. In my neighborhood we have real cats:

• Video Link

Love Jaguars, wish they were more widespread in NA.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by MAC123

Love Jaguars, wish they were more widespread in NA.

If so, you can help:


https://www.northernjaguarproject.org

[tech12]

Mountain lions don't roar, but they do make other loud scary noises:

• Video Link

[Pedestrian]

Construction begins on $12 million mountain lion crossing on Highway 17 in Santa Cruz Mountains
By PAUL ROGERS | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: February 18, 2022 at 2:08 p.m. | UPDATED: February 18, 2022 at 4:23 p.m.

For years, a sweeping, treacherous curve on Highway 17 through the Santa Cruz Mountains has posed risks for motorists zooming between Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz beaches.

But it’s been deadly for another group of travelers: Mountain lions, deer and other wildlife, which have been killed in surprisingly high numbers there while trying to cross the highway.

In a unique effort being watched by biologists around the state, crews on Wednesday began construction on a $12 million project to build an underpass for mountain lions and other wildlife under the four lanes of Highway 17 at Laurel Curve.

Ten years in the making, the project was made possible when the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County pieced together roughly 700 forested acres near the curve in multiple purchases. Funding came from private donations, Caltrans contributed $3 million, and $5 million came from county transportation funds.

“It’s a critical chokepoint for wildlife,” said Sarah Newkirk, executive director of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. “We’re anxious to see this project get off the ground.”

On average 65,000 vehicles a day race over the hair-raising curves of Highway 17. The drivers cross the San Andreas Fault and bisect redwood forests along the roadway, a former stage coach route that dates back to the 1850s. All of that traffic through the forest comes at a cost to wildlife and people.

Roughly 350 animals were killed on Highway 17 in collisions with vehicles between 2012 and 2017, including four mountain lions attempting to cross the high-speed traffic at Laurel Curve. Another nine mountain lions were killed on Highway 17 from 2000 to 2012, according to data from Pathways for Wildlife, a Los Gatos firm that uses Caltrans collision data, remote cameras and other sources.

There are roughly 60 mountain lions in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and Highway 17 is their largest source of mortality, said Chris Wilmers, a professor of environmental studies at UC-Santa Cruz who tracks mountain lions.

Not only do such accidents kill wildlife, they often cause thousands of dollars of damage to vehicles and can cause injuries or even human deaths . . . .

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/02/18/c...end-morning-report-nl&utm_content=manual

[38 Geary]

Humans and lions coexisting inside grocery stores in SF.



https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/swsxix/shopping_with_lions_at_new_may_wah/

[MAC123]

https://layimby.com/2022/04/worlds-large...set-to-break-ground-in-agoura-hills.html
World’s Largest Wildlife Crossing Set To Break Ground In Agoura Hills
Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Image via Living Habitats.Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Image via Living Habitats.

BY: STEFANY HEDMAN 5:30 AM ON APRIL 18, 2022

The world’s largest wildlife crossing is set to break ground on Earth Day, April 22 of this year, in Agoura Hills. The project aims to protect big cats, coyotes, deer, lizards, snakes and other animals as they cross into the Santa Monica Mountains, giving them better access to food and potential mates. Mountain lions, in particular, were a major motivator for the crossing, as their genetic diversity continues to decline. The effort has been in the works for over a decade.

Agoura Hills. Photo by Stefany Hedman.

Agoura Hills. Photo by Stefany Hedman.

Although wildlife bridges are fairly common, this one will be distinct because of its large size and proximity to a major metropolis. It will only be 35 miles northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. The structure will be 200 feet long and cross ten highway lanes and a feeder road.

Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Image via Living Habitats.

Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Image via Living Habitats.

The project is expected to cost $90 million. Sixty percent of the funds will come from private donations, and the rest from public funds reserved for conservation purposes. It will be titled Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, for the philanthropist whose foundation donated $25 million.

Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Image via Living Habitats.

Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Image via Living Habitats.

Construction is anticipated to finish by 2025. Work will largely take place at night to prevent shutdowns of the 101 freeway. Roughly 300,000 cars a day travel the section of the 101.