California looks to build $4 million mountain lion freeway overpass

Telegraph ^ | 10-20-14 | Nick Allen

[SJackson]

Several male mountain lions have been killed trying to get across a log-jammed freeway to breed

Conservationists are trying to raise $4 million to build a special freeway overpass for mountain lions in Los Angeles.

A population of the rare and secretive big cats live in the Santa Monica Mountains but are split in two by the city's busy 101 freeway.

There is a shortage of males and that has led to inbreeding on both sides of the road, with several males being killed as they try to make the dangerous crossing to breed.

Only one big cat - known by it's tracking name P12 - is known to have successfully negotiated the ever increasing traffic in recent years.

"He (P12) came from the north and had a lot of genetic material that was new," National Park Service wildlife ecologist Seth Riley told NPR. "Fortunately not only did he survive, but he then became a dominant breeding male.

"Our real hope is to have an overpass across 101. No one in 1950 was thinking about getting wildlife across roads when the freeway was built."

[ptsal]

I just hit a pothole on a state highway....

Can I send the bill for a new tire to Miss Jerry?

[Jeff Chandler]

[SevenofNine]

Not to my radical animal rights activists lawmaker and animal right community that heavy funded Demo party

[Tennessee Nana]

No it will cost $400 Million to teach the lions to read the signs..

The construction costs will be much more...

[SJackson]

What about tunnels? Don’t laugh.

You want tunnels, your tax dollars will provide tunnels.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

And after three years when a mountain lion finally accidentally uses it they will pat themselves on the back for how wonderful they are.

[SJackson]

I guess the lions aren’t as gender confused as us humans. They should build gender specific tunnels though. At least species specific, don’t want a lion bumping into a deer in the tunnel

[Jet Jaguar]

So the elk come up and press the button?

[EternalVigilance]

rare

Hah.

[catnipman]

Uh, I think the big cats would MUCH prefer an underpass. Not kidding.

[bgill]

Sounds like the woman who called the radio station to complain deer don’t know to cross at deer crossing signs.

[PIF]

Mountain lions aways know to take the bridge - ancient hunting instinct.

People are getting crazier by the second in CA.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“Several male mountain lions have been killed trying to get across a log-jammed freeway to breed “

A healthy culture would see this as a good thing.

[DugwayDuke]

They could just lower the speed limit to five miles per hour.

Seriously, such a thing was proposed in CA back in the 90’s to protect some kind of bug crossing a highway.

[bobby.223]

Good God!!! The Deer Lady is a Barry the muslim boy voter no doubt!

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

For about 125,000 you could set up a mountain lion whorehouse on their side of the road and save one hell of a lot of money.

LOL! Complete with an adult mountain lion arcade booths.

[hinckley buzzard]

So build the overpass, morons. Just put in a luxury tax for all the Hollywood multimillionaires and Silicon Valley billionaires. they all should be overjoyed to give to the cause...shouldn't they?

[hinckley buzzard]

I rode across Alligator Alley about 60 years ago. If there was ever a good case for protecting wildlife, that was it. I doubt it has anything today like it had then though.

[Starstruck]

I can picture the lions on the overpass waiting for convertibles.

[hinckley buzzard]

Uh, I think the big cats would MUCH prefer an underpass. Not kidding.

Agreed. Keeping under cover makes far more instinctive sense than crossing out in the elevated open. But then these are probably college einsteins, not real world people making these plans.