California has a rich array of wildlife; from seals to cougars and bears there are a number of beautiful creatures to spot. Although, for centuries wolves have not been seen around the state they used to wander freely.

In January 2022, 87 million dollars were secured to create a wildlife crossing across the 101 freeway. The Optimist Daily kept a close eye on the crossings progress since we first wrote about it in 2020, and we were thrilled with this development. The project is expected to kick off in spring and be completed by 2023.

Wildlife crossings have successfully worked to save animal lives all across the globe. For example, in Java a network of suspended bridges are helping slow lorises survive and animals in Utah find safe passage across an overpass dedicated to wildlife crossings. There’s also a large corridor in San Antonio that has recently opened to wildlife and humans alike.  However, this project in California will be the biggest of its kind in the world!

The bridge will extend across Liberty Canyon, strategically placed to encourage a certain direction of migration. Engineers have planned to use matte material which deflects sound and light from the vehicles below. Providing a safer journey space for wolves, mountain lions, butterflies, rabbits, snakes, and more.

Restoring biodiversity in areas that have been taken over by humans is important for species to flourish and has also been shown to improve climate resilience especially in areas prone to fires.