An animal was seen ‘trying out’ the wildlife crossing under construction – NBC Los Angeles

Anyone who has ever worked diligently to open a store, coffeehouse, inn, or other business knows that the surprise “early adopter,” an unexpected customer who drops by to check out the new digs, is the general one can improve prospects.

You could say that the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, whose official opening is still several months away, experienced something of that sudden resurgence on Friday evening, May 10th.

Travis Longcore, the scientific director of the Urban Wildlands Group, and some students visited the wildlife crossing under construction, which has been growing, girder by girder, in Agoura Hills since 2022.

Dr. Longcore, a consultant to the Wildlife Crossing team, “among other things, studies the effects of light pollution on wildlife”; The urban wildlife scientist is looking at ways the project can “minimize light interference in the design,” which will be crucial to welcoming the countless creatures that will one day use it to cross the 101 Freeway.

But wait: are some animals already trying it?

Beth Pratt, the California regional director of the National Wildlife Federation, shared a fascinating anecdote on social media about Dr. Longcore’s most recent visit to the construction site.

By Dr. Longcore: “We were on the north side over the bridge and saw a barn owl circling slowly around us.”

While Dr. Longcore and the students “set up at the next site, another person in the group observed the bridge and reported seeing the owl flying directly over the bridge to the south side of the highway.”

“Who knows if it has always done this, but on Friday evening it decided to fly directly over the dark spot that is the overpass.”

“As I told my students, for the first time in 70 years, or however long the 101 was there, we saw a dark path connecting these two open spaces.”

Ms. Pratt, a well-known advocate for P-22, Griffith Park’s beloved and sorely missed mountain lion, shared that the report made her “emotional,” something other local wildlife fans will certainly feel knowing it The animals are positively affected by the crossing, long before its official opening.

More information about the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, including schedules, displays and the species that can use it, from bobcats to mule deer to barn owls, is now available on the official website.