Coyote Becomes First Large Mammal on 101 Wildlife Crossing

A coyote was photographed climbing the approach to the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Agoura Hills shortly after 6 a.m. on October 28. It is the first large mammal known to have gone onto the structure, which is being built over the 101 Freeway to reconnect wildlife habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains with areas beyond the freeway.

The coyote did not travel the full crossing. The project includes two overpasses joined by a sloped section, and the soil had not yet been raised enough to make a continuous route. Construction crews have since added soil to connect the sections. Smaller animals, including a western fence lizard, have also been seen on the site.

National Park Service biologists are installing remote cameras to record how animals use the crossing. The monitoring plan calls for more than 50 still cameras and four thermal video cameras. The material will be shared publicly, but not streamed live. Researchers will also track animals including mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, deer and gray foxes.

Scientists have studied wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains since 1996. They say the crossing will give animals a route across a landscape divided by roads and development, and may help mountain lions whose population faces low genetic diversity. Researchers plan to study not only whether animals cross, but how the structure affects connections across the ecosystem over time.

The crossing is scheduled to open to wildlife on December 2, 2026, if severe winter weather does not delay completion.