In yet another sign that Southern California's freeways are a perilous place for the region's wildlife, a mountain lion met its untimely end on the 405 Freeway near the Getty Center. In what is becoming a distressingly common occurrence, the majestic feline was struck and killed by a vehicle Thursday afternoon, as confirmed by the California Highway Patrol.
KTLA reported that the mountain lion's body was found in the freeway's center divider, marked only by the stark contrast of an orange traffic cone against its lifeless form. It did not have a tracking collar, normally used by conservationists to monitor these animals in the wild.
The incident took place in broad daylight around 2:30 p.m., and it wasn't clear which type of vehicle was involved. According to NBC Los Angeles, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife was dispatched to the site to remove the body and investigate the situation further.
This loss adds to the tally of mountain lion fatalities on local highways. This is the second such incident in recent weeks following the death of another mountain lion on the 101 Freeway in June. Located not far from where the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is under construction, a site meant to facilitate safe animal crossings over such treacherous roads. "Once they retrieve the body and run tests they will be able to determine if the big cat was tagged," Beth Pratt, the Regional Executive Director of the California National Wildlife Federation, told CBS News.
