World’s Largest Wildlife Crossing Nears Completion, Offering New...

World’s Largest Wildlife Crossing Nears Completion, Offering New Hope For California’s Mountain Lions.

The world’s largest wildlife crossing has reached a transformative milestone this week with the placement of its first layers of soil—bringing new life, and new hope, to one of the busiest freeways in America.

This marks major progress for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a groundbreaking structure that will reconnect fragmented habitats on either side of the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. Once complete, the bridge will serve as a critical lifeline for wildlife struggling to survive in an increasingly urbanized landscape.

Over the next several days, 6,000 cubic yards of specially engineered soil will be spread across the crossing, which spans ten lanes of traffic. This unique soil blend—comprising of sand, silt, clay, compost, and local mycorrhizal fungi—has been carefully crafted to nourish native plants and mimic the surrounding ecosystem. The vegetation, grown from locally sourced seeds, will transform the bridge into a living landscape that seamlessly connects to the Santa Monica Mountains on both sides.

The planting of approximately 5,000 native shrubs, grasses, and perennials is set to begin in May, weather permitting. These plantings—featuring coastal sage scrub and other flora native to the Santa Monica Mountains—will be part of a broader restoration effort that includes 12 acres of open space and 50,000 native plants.

Monday’s soil placement ceremony brought together government officials, scientists, and passionate conservationists to witness this powerful moment. Among those in attendance were Mayor Penny Sylvester, former Senator Fran Pavley, Mayor Pro Tem Jeremy Wolf, and other local leaders committed to protecting California’s natural heritage.

This project is not just symbolic—it’s lifesaving. Far too many wild animals have been killed attempting to cross the 101 Freeway. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will provide a safe passageway for mountain lions, deer, bobcats, bats, desert cottontails, and countless other species whose movements have been blocked by urban sprawl.

As the bridge takes shape, it brings us closer to healing a landscape long divided, offering a future where wildlife can roam, reproduce, and thrive once again. This is more than a construction project—it’s a beacon of hope for conservation and a model for the world.

We’ll continue to keep the community updated as this historic effort moves toward completion.

 

Photo by: Mark Girardeau

Source: worldanimalnews