National Parks Traveler Episode 127: Santa Monica Mountains Wildlife Corridor

Mountain lions in California, in and around Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, have many challenges they must overcome to survive. The species faces a continuous onslaught of threats -- from poaching, disease and poisoning to drought and wildland fires.  But one threat tops them all -- a fragmented habitat that prevents this stealthy and solitary creature from safely accessing the huge territory it needs to find genetically diverse mates.  

This week the Traveler’s Lynn Riddick continues her conversation with Beth Pratt from the National Wildlife Federation on what needs to be done to see that mountain lion population not just survive, but grow.

Through the efforts of the #SaveLACougars campaign, tens of millions of dollars have been raised to date to build the world’s largest wildlife corridor over the 101 Freeway in Liberty Canyon, west of Los Angeles. In this, part two of our two-part series, Beth outlines to Lynn more details about the crossing, which is estimated to cost between 55 and 78 million dollars. A significant portion of the funding is coming from private donations pouring in from all over the world, due to the public’s increasing understanding of the benefits of wildlife corridors, both to wildlife and humans.