Mule deer become first animals to use California's first wildlife crossing
Key takeaways
- “It heralds a new era of wildlife overcrossings to improve wildlife connectivity,” he said.
- The crossing is one of several underway in California, including a $114-million project in Agoura Hills, billed as the world’s largest, that is set to open over the 101 Freeway later this year;
- Similar projects in states including Utah and Washington have significantly reduced wildlife-vehicle collisions and encouraged biodiversity.
Surveillance camera footage of three mule deer that have become the first animals to walk over California’s first wildlife crossing in Siskiyou County. (UC Davis Road Ecology Center) By Alex Wigglesworth Staff Writer Follow June 4, 2026 11:29 AM PT 2 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
Three mule deer have become the first animals to walk over California’s first wildlife crossing, which is nearing completion in Siskiyou County, according to the UC Davis Road Ecology Center and the California Department of Transportation.
The deer were captured on camera last month traversing the crossing over a deadly stretch of State Route 97, where more than 50 deer and 16 elk were struck and killed by vehicles between 2015 and 2020, according to Caltrans. Construction on the project began in July.