The Project The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be a vegetated bridge across US-101. It will be the largest wildlife crossing of its type in the nation. Background US-101 separates the Santa Monica Mountains to the south from the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains to the north. US-101 is a formidable and virtually impenetrable barrier for many wildlife species including mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes, and mule deer that inhabit and travel between these two mountain ranges. In particular, mammals with large home ranges such as mountain lions and bobcats need large, connected habitats to hunt, breed and thrive. The construction of US-101 divided this previously continuous habitat range into isolated habitat fragments and resulted in severely restricted movement between the two mountain ranges. For mountain lions in particular, the consequences of this restriction result in increased inbreeding, territorial fighting, and very low genetic diversity within the Santa Monica Mountains. Benefits The wildlife crossing is critical in the linkage between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Sierra Madre Range. Preserving and enhancing this linkage is essential for sustaining wildlife populations. This crossing will provide a safe and sustainable passage for wildlife across US-101 that reduces wildlife-vehicle collisions and wildlife mortality, allows for the safe movement of animals and the exchange of genetic material for wildlife survival.