A mountain lion was found dead Saturday morning on Highway 101 in Agoura Hills, not far from a wildlife crossing being built to reduce the number of mountain lion deaths.
The mountain lion's body was discovered around 5 a.m. in the right lane of the freeway near Liberty Canyon Road, according to the California Highway Patrol. Troopers moved the cougar to the shoulder of the road and enlisted the help of California Fish and Wildlife, which confirmed Saturday morning that it collected the cougar's body to collect DNA.
The cougar, which was not wearing a surveillance collar, died near the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a $92 million passage that spans the busy 10-lane highway, said Beth Pratt, regional executive director of the Federation. National Wildlife Fund. He was probably hit by a car; She said there was fresh blood on the highway. She said not much else is known about the cougar yet, including its age or sex.
“We obviously have a solution on the way, but it didn't come soon enough for this cat,” Pratt said. “This is just another harsh reminder that this is the right place [for the crossing].”
Construction on the wildlife crossing began in 2022 and will be completed in 2026. It is considered the largest wildlife crossing in the world, Pratt said, in a much-needed area where mountain lions are known to attempt to cross.
There are already signs that other animals are using the crossing, and by the end of the year, officials hope to begin adding soil and plants to the crossing so it blends into the environment and creates a safe space for the animals, Pratt said. .
In January, Uno, a mountain lion often seen patrolling the mountains in Orange County, died after being hit by a vehicle on a road near Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve. The cougar, identified as F312, had been tagged by researchers in 2021 when she was approximately 2 years old.
In January 2023, mountain lion P-81 died on the Pacific Coast Highway, likely hit by a car, the National Park Service announced. The remains of the 4-year-old male cougar were collected on PCH near Las Posas Road in Ventura County.
In July 2022, mountain lion P-89, a 2-year-old male, was fatally struck by a car on Highway 101 in Woodland Hills. That death came about a month after a car killed a 5-year-old mountain lion in the Santa Monica Mountains.
