Wetenschap · Wildlife crossingAgoura Hills coyote crossing: First known large mammal climbs wildlife bridgeGeschreven 5 november 2026 om 01:06 UTCKijkenTranscript0:07A coyote climbed onto a wildlife bridge before crews finished joining its two0:11overpasses.0:12It's the first large mammal known to reach the Wallace Annenberg Wildlife Crossing0:17near Agora Hills.0:18The route could give isolated mountain lions access to unrelated mates across the0:23one hundred and one freeway.0:25Scientists now need to learn whether animals will travel the whole route and0:29reconnect those populations.0:31The coyote reached a slope where the soil wasn't yet high enough to connect the two0:35overpasses.0:37One spans the freeway, and the other spans an adjacent road.0:41The animal could climb onto the structure, but couldn't travel its entire length.0:45Crews have since rapidly added soil, and larger animals may now be able to make the0:51full journey.0:52Mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes could all use that connection.0:56Smaller animals, including western fence lizards, had already appeared on the1:01crossing.1:02The coyote's milestone was the first known ascent by a large mammal.1:07A camera installed October14 photographed.1:09The coyote on October twenty-eight, shortly after six in the morning.1:14Six cameras went on to the crossing November three.1:17The National Park Service shared the news November four, a week after the animal's1:22visit.1:22The black and white photograph shows the animal heading uphill, almost blending into1:27its surroundings, with one eye shining bright white.1:30Beth Pratt, president of the Wildlife Crossing Fund, had pushed for that camera.1:35After an October eight news conference, she urged wildlife biologist Jeff Sikich to1:41watch the southern approach, then followed up with daily texts.1:45Pratt greeted the discovery by saying, Oh my God, it's already working!1:50A different camera near the southern end had already recorded a mountain lion with1:54two older kittens and another uncollared lion in less than two months.1:59Those animals were moving nearby.2:01The project has a reported cost of roughly a hundred and fourteen million dollars,2:05and is scheduled to open December two third, twenty twenty-six.2:09Fierce winter storms could delay that date.2:11Caltrans's June2025 schedule had targeted completion in fall2026 .2:17The crossing sits in Los Angeles County, west of Liberty Canyon Road, and is2:23designed as a vegetated connection between open spaces separated by the freeway.2:27Even one incoming mountain lion that breeds could meaningfully improve genetic2:32diversity.2:33The crossing is intended to connect wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains with the2:37Simi Hills and habitat beyond, allowing lions to seek mates outside the range2:43and others to enter.2:44Freeways and development have hemmed in these animals, and close relatives have bred2:49within the local mountain lion population.2:52Scientists have documented physical and reproductive abnormalities linked to2:57inbreeding, restoring movement, could bring unrelated animals together and give3:02their offspring a broader genetic inheritance.3:05The need reaches beyond protecting a single animal from traffic.3:08In2014 , scientists identified P32 among three kittens3:14resulting from close relative breeding.3:17In2020 , P81 had an L-shaped tail and only one descended3:22testicle.3:23Researchers later documented a ninety-three percent abnormal sperm rate among the3:28animals studied.3:29Researchers warned that mountain lions in the Santa Monica and Santa Ana Mountains3:33need greater genetic diversity to avoid local extinction.3:37National Park Service scientists began radio collaring bobcats and coyotes in3:42Liberty Canyon in1996 .3:45Mountain lion research followed in2002 .3:48By2022 , more than25 years of wildlife research had supported the case for this3:54crossing.3:54Sikich installed six cameras on the crossing as the soil connection improved.4:00The eventual network is planned to include more than fifty still photo cameras and4:05four thermal video cameras.4:07Images and video will be shared publicly, but won't be streamed live.4:12GPS radio tracking will follow mountain lions, bobcats, and coyotes, along with deer4:17and grey foxes, to establish where they move.4:21Researchers are also implanting small recording devices called biologers in deer,4:26with mountain lions planned next.4:29Those devices are intended to measure body temperature, heart rate, and fat4:33reserves.4:34An animal's heart rate could reveal whether crossing above freeway traffic produces4:39a stress response.4:40Sikich says decades spent documenting wildlife isolation have led to an opportunity4:46to study reconnection.4:47Tracking movement and physiology will help scientists examine what animals4:52experience as they use the route.4:54A complete large mammal crossing still hasn't been documented.4:58The coyote has shown that an animal can find the approach, and the December2 opening5:03remains weather dependent.5:04Scientists will watch for repeated safe journeys beyond the bridge.5:08For mountain lions, the genetic benefit depends on animals moving between5:12populations and successfully reproducing.Lees het artikelTijdlijn van het verhaalHeyDex
