The 101 runs parallel to the Santa Monica Mountains, separating it from the Simi Hills. A stretch of road is the biggest obstacle for mountain lions who want to find more mates and more land. The future Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing will be 210 feet long and 175 feet wide. Designers are looking at light pollution, fungi, ecological restoration, fencing and even sound design.
Wildlife and urban development don’t usually go well together. Roads in particular fracture the habitats of wide-ranging animals. It restricts their movements and makes it harder for them to find food or a mate. But biologists and urban planners have started working together –- crafting a plan to try to help pumas move more safely around the city. And in the process this one cat, dubbed P-22, has turned into something of a celebrity—the symbol of a movement to redesign our cities and make the built environment more friendly to animals.
Cougar Town