Mountain Lion found dead on 101 Freeway near wildlife crossing

A dead mountain lion was found Saturday on the Ventura (101) Freeway in Agoura Hills near the wildlife crossing currently under construction.

The deceased mountain lion was found in the far right lane of the southbound 101 near Liberty Canyon Road after someone reported a possible animal in the road at 4:48 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol via published reports.

The intention of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing — under construction since 2022 with completion expected by early 2026 — is to rescue the local mountain lion population from extinction, according to wildlife advocates. That could happen if the animals continue inbreeding because of the limited numbers of mountain lions in the area.

The fully landscaped freeway crossing aims to offer roaming mountain lions a connection between the small population in the Santa Monica Mountains and the larger and genetically diverse groups of mountain lions in areas to the north. The crossing will be the biggest of its kind in the U.S., officials said.

Many years of road construction and urban development have proven deadly for animals trying to cross Southern California freeways and roads, resulting in disconnected habitats with a wide range of genetically isolated wildlife.

More information on the Annenberg crossing is at www.101wildlifecrossing.org.