Mountain Lion Hit, Killed On 405 Freeway In Sepulveda Pass

LOS ANGELES — A mountain lion was reportedly hit and killed around early Thursday on 405 Freeway in Brentwood.

The lion was hit on the southbound lanes of the 405, near Getty Center Drive around 1:15 a.m. Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol. A patrol traffic log indicated a mountain lion blocked multiple lanes on the freeway and stopped traffic through the Sepulveda Pass, KABC reported.

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Authorities briefly closed the freeway, City News Service reported.

Officers from the California Highway Patrol received a call just before 1 a.m about an animal lying on the southbound 405 Freeway south of Getty Center Drive exit. Officers briefly closed the freeway to move the cat out of freeway lanes.

There was no immediate information on whether the lion was one of dozens being tracked by National Park Service researchers in the Santa Monica Mountains. Ana Cholo of the National Park Service told City News Service the cat is not P-22, the Southland's most well-known big cat who has roamed the hills of Griffith Park for years. P-22 previously managed to cross the 405 and Ventura (101) freeways.

The lion's death came one day before a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which will ultimately be 210 feet long, 165 feet wide and span all 10 lanes of the Ventura Freeway at Liberty Canyon. It is meant to promote biodiversity among Southern California mountain lions, which are isolated by the freeway, by connecting them with mountain lions in Northern California.

The Wildlife Crossing is being developed following 20 years of studies from the National Park Service that found roads and urban development are deadly for animals trying to navigate the Los Angeles area. Urban development has also created islands of habitats that can genetically isolate the region's animals.

Researchers predict southern California mountain lions could become extinct within 50 years.. The lions are largely isolated due to freeways that act as barriers to movement across the region. The crossing aims 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.

"This week was supposed to be one of celebration as we mark the groundbreaking of a wildlife bridge in Agoura Hills. Instead, we're saddened by the violent death of yet another mountain lion," J.P. Rose, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. "These tragedies are preventable if California invested in more wildlife crossings, which protect both wildlife and people from dangerous collisions. I hope our leaders in Sacramento take a serious look at the Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection Act, a sensible piece of legislation that will bring more wildlife crossings to the state."

The proposed legislation would require state officials to identify "roadkill hotspots" and construct at least 10 wildlife crossings per year on state roads.

City News Service contributed to this report.