Southern California’s 10-lane Highway 101, which sees approximately 400,000 vehicles daily, will soon be home to the largest urban wildlife crossing globally. Currently, portions of Highway 101 cut through Los Angeles, isolating wildlife from their natural habitat and impacting species survival.
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Over the past two decades, at least 26 mountain lions have lost their lives attempting to cross the highway. To address this issue, California is constructing a wildlife walking corridor to allow animals to safely traverse this section of the highway.
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Wildlife advocates emphasize that this crossing will not only prevent wildlife fatalities but also facilitate mountain lion breeding and their access to food.
“There are very few people who don’t get upset when they see a dead animal on the side of the road,” Beth Pratt, the regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, told CBS News. “So I think this is something that within a time when we agree on very little, we pretty much agree on wildlife crossings.”
These crossings are not unique to the United States. Across 43 states, there are more than 1,500 wildlife crossings. For instance, the wildlife bridge on Snoqualmie Pass near Seattle, Washington, allows coyotes, elk, deer, and other animals to safely move from one side of Interstate-90 to the other.
Internationally, Australia has also implemented similar solutions. On Christmas Island National Park, a bridge assists millions of red crabs during their migration to the ocean, preventing collisions with passing cars.
California’s upcoming Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will blend seamlessly into the natural habitat on both sides of Highway 101, providing animals with easier access to food, shelter and mates.
Upon completion in early 2026, it will claim the title of the world’s largest wildlife crossing.
THIS 10-LANE HIGHWAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SEES ROUGHLY 400-THOUSAND VEHICLES A DAY – AND NEXT YEAR — IT’LL BE HOME TO THE LARGEST URBAN WILDLIFE CROSSING IN THE WORLD.
CURRENTLY, THIS STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 101 CUTS RIGHT THROUGH LOS ANGELES – AND ISOLATES CERTAIN WILDLIFE FROM THEIR NATURAL HABIT, ULTIMATELY AFFECTING SPECIES SURVIVAL.
AT LEAST 26 MOUNTAIN LIONS HAVE BEEN KILLED ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY IN THE LAST TWO DECADES.
TO COMBAT THE ISSUE – THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS BUILDING A BRIDGE – A WILDLIFE WALKING CORRIDOR TO ALLOW WILDLIFE TO SAFELY WALK OVER THIS PORTION OF THE 101.
WILDLIFE ADVOCATES SAY THIS CROSSING WILL HELP PREVENT WILDLIFE DEATHS AND HELP MOUNTAIN LIONS BREED AND FIND FOOD.
BETH PRATT IS THE REGIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION.
[BETH PRATT]
“WILDLIFE CROSSINGS ARE SOMETHING, IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU’RE A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRAT OR WHAT POLITICAL AFFILIATION, PEOPLE REALLY SUPPORT THEM. THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE WHO DON’T GET UPSET WHEN THEY SEE A DEAD ANIMAL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SO I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WITHIN A TIME WHEN WE AGREE ON VERY LITTLE, WE PRETTY MUCH AGREE ON WILDLIFE CROSSINGS.”
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
WILDLIFE CROSSINGS ARE NOTHING NEW.
THE UNITED STATES HAS MORE THAN 15-HUNDRED OF THEM IN 43 STATES.
THIS IS A WILDLIFE BRIDGE ON SNOQUALMIE PASS WHILE IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION ALONG I-90 NEAR SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. COYOTES, ELK, DEER AND OTHER WILDLIFE ARE ABLE TO USE THE STRUCTURE – THAT RESEMBLES THEIR NATURAL HABITAT – AND SAFELY WALK FROM ONE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO THE OTHER.
OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE THEM, TOO.
IN AUSTRALIA – THE RED CRAB MIGRATION CAUSES MILLIONS OF RED CRABS TO MOVE INLAND WHERE THEY MATE.
THIS BRIDGE WAS BUILT ON CHRISTMAS ISLAND NATIONAL PARK TO HELP THE CRABS CROSS OVER THE ROAD AND AVOID PASSING CARS.
CALIFORNIA’S NEW WALLIS ANNENBERG WILDLIFE CROSSING WILL BE COVERED IN SOIL AND DIFFERENT VEGETATION TO CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE NATURAL HABITAT ON EITHER SIDE OF THE 101 – MAKING IT EASIER FOR ANIMALS TO FIND FOOD, SHELTER AND MATES.
IT’LL BE THE LARGEST WILDLIFE CROSSING IN THE WORLD WHEN IT’S COMPLETED IN EARLY 2026.
FOR SAN, I’M LT…
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