The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing was in the media spotlight for its official groundbreaking on Earth Day. Construction will now begin on the world’s largest animal crossing and outlets across the country and across the globe featured the story.
The LA Times outlined the benefit the crossing will bring to the region’s wildlife and highlighted Wallis Annenberg’s role in making the historic project a reality.
“With completion scheduled for 2025, the wildlife crossing ranks among the most ambitious apolitical campaigns ever waged in Southern California. More than 5,000 individuals, foundations, agencies and businesses from around the world contributed expertise and donations that, as of Friday, totaled more than $87 million – including a $25-million challenge grant from Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation.”
“California’s cougars are getting the lion’s share of attention for this crossing, as their enclosure threatens their very existence, the NPS said. But it also will provide habitat access to coyotes, bobcats, deer, snakes, lizards, toads and even ants. ‘We can coexist side by side with all kinds of wild instead of paving it over and choking it off,’ said philanthropist Wallis Annenberg at the groundbreaking ceremony. ‘It is about bringing more attention to an ingenious solution so urban wildlife and ecosystems like this one cannot only survive, but thrive.’”
And the crossing made it into international headlines, too. BBC News featured the story and highlighted the benefits the crossing will bring to Southern California’s wildlife.
“The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will span a 10-lane motorway northwest of Los Angeles, helping mammals including mountain lions, coyotes, and deer to have better access to food and potential mating partners.”
The crossing is scheduled for completion in 2025.
