Mountain lion struck, killed by car on 405 Freeway

A mountain lion was fatally struck by a vehicle Thursday on the San Diego (405) Freeway near the Getty Center, authorities said.

The animal was picked up at 5:48 p.m. by Caltrans workers, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Erik Larsen. The deceased mountain lion was found in the center divider of the freeway, Larsen said.

The state's Department of Fish and Wildlife was also notified about the dead mountain lion but it was Caltrans that ultimately picked up the animal, Larsen said.

The CHP was notified of the dead animal on the northbound side of the freeway by a number of calls received from motorists, Larsen said.

On June 15, another mountain lion was found dead on the 101 Freeway near Agoura Hills, close to the site of future Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.

Wildlife advocates hope the crossing can save the threatened local population of mountain lions from extinction, which could become inevitable if lions continue a historic pattern of inbreeding due to the limited numbers of cats in the area.

Construction on the crossing began in 2022, and it is expected to be completed by late 2025 or early 2026.

The fully landscaped crossing is designed to provide a connection between the small population of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and the larger and genetically diverse populations to the north. The crossing will be the largest of its type in the nation, officials said.

Decades of road construction and development have been deadly for animals trying to cross the area's freeways, while creating islands of habitat that have genetically isolated wildlife ranging from bobcats to birds and lizards.

More information about the project is available online at 101wildlifecrossing.org .

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