A mountain lion was found dead on the northbound 405 Freeway, near Sepulveda Blvd. and The Getty Museum, as confirmed by California Highway Patrol officials. The incident was reported around 2:31 p.m. on Thursday, July 4. Responding officers identified the animal and contacted the state Department of Fish and Wildlife. The mountain lion was fatally struck by a vehicle and discovered in the center divider of the freeway.
This tragic event follows another similar incident on June 15, when a mountain lion was found dead on the 101 Freeway near Agoura Hills. This location is close to the future Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which is currently under construction. The crossing aims to connect the small population of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains with larger, genetically diverse populations to the north.
Scientists have proposed the idea of installing fencing along freeways and roadways adjacent to rural habitats to prevent wild animals from attempting to cross busy highways. A study from the UC Davis Road Ecology Center, part of the Institute of Transportation Studies, estimated that 613 mountain lions were killed by vehicles in California over an eight-year period, averaging about 70 big cats per year. The number of mountain lions killed by vehicle strikes in California is increasing annually, according to center director Fraser Shilling, who estimates that 5% of their population is disappearing due to vehicle collisions.
In a related incident, another mountain lion was struck and killed on the 405 Freeway near Brentwood early Thursday morning, just one day before the groundbreaking of L.A.’s highly anticipated wildlife bridge. This bridge is designed to provide safe passage for animals affected by urban sprawl. California Highway Patrol officers received a call around 1 a.m. about an animal lying on the southbound side of the freeway, just south of the Getty Center Drive exit. Initially, there were fears that the famed mountain lion P-22 was the victim, but the lion was later identified as P-97, an 18-month-old male who had recently separated from his mother, P-54.
Jeff Sikich, a biologist with the National Park Service, explained that P-97 had recently dispersed from his mother and was likely trying to find his own territory. His GPS collar sent its last signal at midnight, and no further signals were received. P-97’s body was picked up by Caltrans and taken to the West Los Angeles Animal Shelter. Although his radio collar was not located, he was identified via an ear tag and GPS readings. P-97 is the 26th mountain lion to be killed by a vehicle in the Park Service’s two decades of studying the big cats in the region.
The death of P-97 is the second such incident in the Southland in less than a month. In March, a collared lion known as P-104 was struck and killed on Pacific Coast Highway. The 405 Freeway area near the Getty Center has proven particularly hazardous for mountain lions. Beth Pratt, a regional executive director in California for the National Wildlife Federation, noted that other lions, such as P-18 and P-61, were also killed near the same exit in previous years.
The region’s network of freeways has confined L.A.’s mountain lions to small geographical areas, leading to the lowest genetic diversity documented for the species, aside from the critically endangered Florida panther. The combination of inbreeding, vehicle deaths, urban encroachment, and other threats means there’s an almost 1 in 4 chance that the cats could become extinct in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana mountains within 50 years, according to recent studies.
Thursday’s death comes just one day before the groundbreaking of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills near Liberty Canyon. The $87-million project is set to become the largest wildlife crossing in the world, providing safe transport for mountain lions and other animals over a busy eight-lane stretch of the freeway. J.P. Rose, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed sadness over the violent death of another mountain lion, calling it a preventable tragedy. He emphasized the need for more wildlife crossings to protect both wildlife and people from dangerous collisions.
A bill currently making its way through the state Legislature, AB 2344, would require state officials to identify “priority roadkill hot spots” and implement at least 10 wildlife crossings each year on state roads. Pratt mentioned that the project in the Liberty Canyon area will help relieve what is known as the biggest “pinch point” for mountain lions in the region. However, she also pointed out the urgent need for more solutions moving forward, expressing sadness over the loss of even one mountain lion.
The Liberty Canyon crossing is set for completion in 2025. The death of P-97 underscores the critical need for such infrastructure to ensure the safety and survival of mountain lions and other wildlife in the region.
Source: Steve Scauzillo, City News Service, LAist
