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erronis

(24,183 posts)
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 12:30 PM Yesterday

California's wildlife bridge became a target for the right. Now it's eyeing the finish line

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/25/california-wildlife-crossing-construction
Katharine Gammon in Los Angeles

Unhindered by critics who called the $114m project 'a bridge to nowhere', a gigantic throughway allowing animals to cross a busy freeway is close to completion


An aerial view of the construction site of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 freeway on Wednesday in Agoura Hills, California. Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images


Atop a gigantic wildlife bridge in California this week, butterflies filled the air. A red-tailed hawk sailed above as a slight breeze ruffled the 6,000 native plants, including poppies and purple sage. You'd never guess that below the quiet expanse of rocks and plants, a 10-lane freeway ferries 400,000 cars each day.

When the project broke ground four years ago, enthusiasm was high. The wildlife crossing in northern Los Angeles county would be the largest of its kind in the world, providing safe passage for mountain lions, bobcats and lizards.

But in recent weeks, the bridge has landed in the news for the wrong reasons. The Murdoch-owned California Post published an op-ed in March, penned by two writers from the conservative Manhattan Institute, that criticized the $114m project for going over budget, calling it a "jobs program for environmentalists" and a "multimillion-dollar bridge to nowhere". Other conservative commentators piled on, from Fox News to Trump's transportation secretary, Sean Duffy.

Beth Pratt, California regional executive director with the National Wildlife Federation and the public face of the crossing, said the backlash was swift. She began to receive messages painting her as a moron and a cat lady, and even threatening her physical safety. "The hate was really ugly," she says. "We had to contact law enforcement."

Despite the spate of rightwing hate, the wildlife crossing has found a finish line. The project will be officially "open for animal business" on 2 December, Pratt announced at an event for Earth Day this week.

. . .
55 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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California's wildlife bridge became a target for the right. Now it's eyeing the finish line (Original Post) erronis Yesterday OP
Fucking idiots oppose wildlife bridges over highways. RandomNumbers Yesterday #1
Your last line... calimary Yesterday #2
Satan's in no hurry to claim him--- lastlib 6 hrs ago #54
Your post has fewer F-words than mine would have. AZJonnie Yesterday #3
'kna! OMGWTF Yesterday #26
And these dummys also want more game to hunt IbogaProject Yesterday #17
They probably would be great supporters of the project aka-chmeee 9 hrs ago #50
'Cries of delight' as Sumatran orangutan filmed using canopy bridge to cross road for first time cbabe Yesterday #4
I said this to a friend earlier on the canopy bridge: I hope someone will throw humanity a life-line erronis Yesterday #5
Check your local homegirl Yesterday #8
Wonderful. Thank you. erronis Yesterday #38
Selfish fucking wankers! That pretty well sums up the opposition. paleotn Yesterday #6
The Red-neck, Bubba, Trailer Trash, low IQ, popsdenver Yesterday #7
You mean fenderized, not tenderized Jerry2144 Yesterday #21
Good point popsdenver 22 hrs ago #41
I thought humans were the most dangerous animal towards humans Jerry2144 18 hrs ago #47
You are correct, popsdenver 7 hrs ago #53
What assholes jfz9580m Yesterday #9
When the bridge is completed they'll have post guards to keep these right wing idiots out... hunter Yesterday #10
Jimbo and Ned Doc_Technical 23 hrs ago #39
Kill! Kill!! Kill!!! hamsterjill Yesterday #11
Incel psychopaths wolfie001 Yesterday #12
Some people hate everything that they personally can't find a way to monetize. flashman13 Yesterday #13
One would hope the Auto Insurers would be solid behind the building of wildlife bridges Attilatheblond Yesterday #34
It certainly is where I live. flashman13 22 hrs ago #42
Omgosh, you expressed my feelings so perfectly! 🥰 MerryBlooms Yesterday #36
You caught me on a good day. flashman13 22 hrs ago #43
Why are we wasting money on protecting animals paulrevere2018 Yesterday #14
So let's me get this straight... mwmisses4289 Yesterday #15
We have one over I-90 in Washington State Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Yesterday #16
I sold my house in LA for years ago, MurrayDelph Yesterday #18
This is wonderful. Please build more. thought crime Yesterday #19
Tell me about it... Ligyron Yesterday #30
The only good maga is roadkill maga NBachers Yesterday #20
They're people who know the price of everything but the value of nothing. n/t dobleremolque Yesterday #22
Here's a rendering of what it will look like when it's finished: NBachers Yesterday #23
We need..... Quanto Magnus Yesterday #24
Canada has had them for years. cksmithy Yesterday #25
Rightwing hate UpInArms Yesterday #27
We need more wildlife bridges wendyb-NC Yesterday #28
Well, they are maga con idiots. mwmisses4289 Yesterday #32
some people are mindless sheep BlueWaveNeverEnd Yesterday #29
What can you say? BeneteauBum Yesterday #31
Texas is on the right side for once LtTx Yesterday #33
Leave it to... GiqueCee Yesterday #35
Most of us Californians are very proud & enthusiastic about that bridge Raine Yesterday #37
What a bunch of idiots, the bridge does not only save wildlife it saves peoples lives Bev54 23 hrs ago #40
Short answer? Nope. love_katz 20 hrs ago #44
40% of the cost is funded from private donations SpankMe 20 hrs ago #45
Got to love this sort of conservation effort! Aussie105 19 hrs ago #46
Manhattan Institute KT2000 16 hrs ago #48
It's a Wonderful Accomplishment Roy Rolling 13 hrs ago #49
The roads should never have been built in the first place. hunter 6 hrs ago #55
We need a few thousand of these in rural Pennsavanya. twodogsbarking 8 hrs ago #51
Everything is a target. SupportSanity 7 hrs ago #52

RandomNumbers

(19,225 posts)
1. Fucking idiots oppose wildlife bridges over highways.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 12:54 PM
Yesterday

Maybe they should try hitting a deer at high speed some time* and they will realize it isn't all about the deer.

* no they should not ... but such idiots may eventually experience it anyway, and maybe then they'll fucking wake up.

And let's be clear, for anyone who has a fucking clue how life works on this planet, it isn't all about the wildlife anyway, outside of the reduction of collisions. And oh yeah, maybe humans ought to care a little about other species, just because ... it is life ... but no.

(lots of f words this morning ... because I woke up and the sick fuck is still not dead or in jail)

calimary

(90,415 posts)
2. Your last line...
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:05 PM
Yesterday

It’s something I, too, wake up with, every morning.

And I bet we’re nowhere near alone in that.

I just figure he has US ALL waiting. Including Satan.

lastlib

(28,439 posts)
54. Satan's in no hurry to claim him---
Sun Apr 26, 2026, 11:41 AM
6 hrs ago

he doesn't want the competition..

I rather pity Satan, having to contend with that basturd for freakin' ETERNITY. But, that's why he gets the big money........

AZJonnie

(3,861 posts)
3. Your post has fewer F-words than mine would have.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:06 PM
Yesterday

But you pretty much said what I would have, so I'll skip my own, other than to say "what you said", and add FUCK THESE FUCKING FUCKERS who threatened the woman in charge of the project

Now we're pretty even-steven on the f-bomb-count

IbogaProject

(6,004 posts)
17. And these dummys also want more game to hunt
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:28 PM
Yesterday

And they can't make that connection. They just want small tiny things to fret over rather their their own tiny things, they never have any coherent ideas about how to grow the economy. They always see this as being taken from someone else, rather than maybe growing the economy by taking a sliver from the wealthy and creating some jobs where the proceeds get spent quick.

aka-chmeee

(1,228 posts)
50. They probably would be great supporters of the project
Sun Apr 26, 2026, 09:28 AM
9 hrs ago

If it included luxury hunting blinds.

cbabe

(6,727 posts)
4. 'Cries of delight' as Sumatran orangutan filmed using canopy bridge to cross road for first time
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:07 PM
Yesterday
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/25/first-footage-endangered-sumatran-orangutan-using-canopy-bridge-cross-road-hope-species-aoe

‘Cries of delight’ as Sumatran orangutan filmed using canopy bridge to cross road for first time

After a two-year wait, video of a young male crossing above a road gives hope that critically endangered species can survive habitat fragmentation

The age of extinction is supported by
theguardian.org

Isaaq Tomkins
Sat 25 Apr 2026 01.00 EDT

The critically endangered Sumatran orangutan has been filmed for the first time using a canopy bridge to cross a road.

In 2024, conservationists in the Pakpak Bharat district of North Sumatra in Indonesia built the bridge high over the Lagan-Pagindar road, which provides an essential route for local people but which became a barrier for animals.

Natural crossing was “impossible for wildlife”, said Erwin Alamsyah Siregar, director of Tangguh Hutan Khatulistiwa (TaHuKah), the environmental organisation that helped install the bridge.

For two years, the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) and TaHuKah, its local partner, had been watching camera-trap footage of the bridge, waiting for the day that an orangutan would finally cross.

… amazing video at link …more ….

(We’re all in this together.)

erronis

(24,183 posts)
5. I said this to a friend earlier on the canopy bridge: I hope someone will throw humanity a life-line
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:10 PM
Yesterday

when we need it. And I think that is now.

homegirl

(1,978 posts)
8. Check your local
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:38 PM
Yesterday

Public Broadcasting Channel for a documentary named "Wilding". You will understand that we need nature and the world would endure without us!

paleotn

(22,500 posts)
6. Selfish fucking wankers! That pretty well sums up the opposition.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:13 PM
Yesterday

And why they're a cancer in this society.

popsdenver

(2,450 posts)
7. The Red-neck, Bubba, Trailer Trash, low IQ,
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:15 PM
Yesterday

Republicans loathe these game crossings.........It cuts down dramatically on the road kill they can scrape up and serve for dinners...anything less than five days old is useable.......any wildlife run over more than two times is the best, nice and tenderized.....Doesn't RFK Jr. have a roadkill cookbook for sale??????????

popsdenver

(2,450 posts)
41. Good point
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 08:14 PM
22 hrs ago

but I was thinking more of the ground crawlers......racoons, rabbits, etc.....

BTW:....The most lethal animals in America, responsible for a lot human deaths every year, are the Deer, Elk, Moose, and Cattle that are hit by a motor vehicle. Their legs get hit, but their bodies are up so high, they come thru the front windshield like a cement wall. Then there are always the unbelievably stupid humans, who go up to a Buffalo or Moose to try and pet them.....almost always a 100% "game over" for the human.....

Jerry2144

(3,293 posts)
47. I thought humans were the most dangerous animal towards humans
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 11:58 PM
18 hrs ago

But yes. Those big ones are dangerous. It's wild burros, wild mustangs, Bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelopes here in the desert of southern Nevada that are a big danger. Plus the occasional cow

popsdenver

(2,450 posts)
53. You are correct,
Sun Apr 26, 2026, 10:44 AM
7 hrs ago

The human is the most lethal TWO LEGGED animal......by far !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When we "self extinct" our human race, I am positive Mother Earth won't EVER be putting "humans" back on her beloved planet.....

jfz9580m

(17,510 posts)
9. What assholes
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:49 PM
Yesterday

The Manhattan Institute, California Post etc are filled with parasitic, brainless grifters whose main “job” is sucking up to oligarchs. Who are they to question the legitimacy of actually cool projects and people like these.

Go Beth. What’s wrong with being a catlady?

The left has overall been too polite..I myself am exiting the robo-called hostage phase of my existence finally.
I mean - obligatory - yeah I know there are decent conservatives etc etc. But one means these creeps and the like. At the very least, in their conservative hats people like these are jackasses and it is unclear if they have any others.

hunter

(40,783 posts)
10. When the bridge is completed they'll have post guards to keep these right wing idiots out...
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:50 PM
Yesterday

... especially those with guns.

hamsterjill

(17,686 posts)
11. Kill! Kill!! Kill!!!
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 01:51 PM
Yesterday

That's all them sombitches know how to do.

They have no understanding of the basic concept that every species on planet earth is tied to the existence of other species.

flashman13

(2,489 posts)
13. Some people hate everything that they personally can't find a way to monetize.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:04 PM
Yesterday

It's funny how the word "conservative" is applied to so many people and things that have nothing to do with saving or preserving.

How about nature for natures sake? How about beauty for beauty's sake? How about saving what little is left earth's living, breathing beings?

Attilatheblond

(9,089 posts)
34. One would hope the Auto Insurers would be solid behind the building of wildlife bridges
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 04:59 PM
Yesterday

Not sure where to look for data on the financial costs to insurers of auto/wildlife accident costs but I imagine it's a load of money.

paulrevere2018

(87 posts)
14. Why are we wasting money on protecting animals
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:13 PM
Yesterday

And avoiding accidents when our supply of tomahawk missles need replenishing?? /s

mwmisses4289

(4,507 posts)
15. So let's me get this straight...
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:13 PM
Yesterday

Cons who don't live in CA are complaining about something good for both humans and wildlife? What are they, russian bots?
Stupid shits.

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(136,586 posts)
16. We have one over I-90 in Washington State
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:16 PM
Yesterday

It's quite a success. Murdoch should take his wrinkly old ass back to Australia.

MurrayDelph

(5,762 posts)
18. I sold my house in LA for years ago,
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:31 PM
Yesterday

but still have to go back at least quarterly, and have been staying at hotels just west (North? The 101 is weird up there) of the construction. I've enjoyed watching the progress on this project.

thought crime

(1,714 posts)
19. This is wonderful. Please build more.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:31 PM
Yesterday

Another disgrace is that there are so few pedestrian bridges over highways and busy streets.

Ligyron

(8,009 posts)
30. Tell me about it...
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 04:00 PM
Yesterday

I’m visiting Ventura. and I would like to go to the pier but the first bridge to get across the one is like 2 miles from here.

I don’t mind a brisk walk, but that’s ridiculous.

NBachers

(19,529 posts)
23. Here's a rendering of what it will look like when it's finished:
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:42 PM
Yesterday

That's My California!

cksmithy

(499 posts)
25. Canada has had them for years.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 02:59 PM
Yesterday

The first time I saw a animal crossing like that was driving to Banff National Park, possibly 15 years ago.

It's about time we have them here in California. We have hawks, owls, foxes, raccoons and possums in our 100+ year old Fresno, CA neighborhood.

wendyb-NC

(4,711 posts)
28. We need more wildlife bridges
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 03:32 PM
Yesterday

They are such a brilliant idea, they save wild animals and help prevent motor vehicle accidents. I do not understand why anybody with common sense would be against something that will make roads safer, and save lives (human and animal) along with money to replace or repair a vehicle involved in a collision with wildlife.

BeneteauBum

(644 posts)
31. What can you say?
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 04:23 PM
Yesterday

Unless there is an immediate personal gain, a lot of people will bitch about any expenditure…..especially by us tree huggers. As a retired estuarine biologist, I received a lot of criticism in meetings and while working in the field. Seems to be the right wing credo…..

Peace ☮️

LtTx

(83 posts)
33. Texas is on the right side for once
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 04:49 PM
Yesterday

We have over 30 animal crossing bridges and more planned!

GiqueCee

(4,517 posts)
35. Leave it to...
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 06:12 PM
Yesterday

... the right-wing shitstains to find fault with anything that doesn't directly benefit their wallets at the expense of everyone else. FUCK 'em. Sideways.

Raine

(31,213 posts)
37. Most of us Californians are very proud & enthusiastic about that bridge
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 06:18 PM
Yesterday

it will also save human lives by not having wildlife crashing thru your windshield!

Bev54

(13,487 posts)
40. What a bunch of idiots, the bridge does not only save wildlife it saves peoples lives
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 06:56 PM
23 hrs ago

by not hitting animals on the highway or swerving to miss animals. JFC do any of these people have any brains at all?

love_katz

(3,270 posts)
44. Short answer? Nope.
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 10:01 PM
20 hrs ago

CONservatives have either shit for brains or no brains at all. The only thing they use their heads for is as a hat rack.

SpankMe

(3,737 posts)
45. 40% of the cost is funded from private donations
Sat Apr 25, 2026, 10:02 PM
20 hrs ago

Another significant chunk is from the state of California (Dep't of Fish and Wildlife). Californians are overwhelmingly in favor of the crossing, including the citizens of the area it's located in, Agoura Hills. The feds are funding a part as well, but nowhere near the full cost.

Agoura Hills is reddish in it's voting patterns, but happens to be represented by Dems both in the Cali senate and Assembly.

Luckily, the fuckers who wrote and printed the piece (Manhattan Institute and California Post (which no one I know has ever heard of)) won't have any effect on it's completion aand opening.

The regressiveness of the right is on full display.

KT2000

(22,181 posts)
48. Manhattan Institute
Sun Apr 26, 2026, 02:15 AM
16 hrs ago

is simply a free market organization. The wildlife obviously cannot pay to use the bridge so they are of no value and efforts should not be made to protect them.

Looks like this is one of those organized gripe parties meant to stir up MAGA. Only tRump can save us from the outrage of the day. This is only the beginning until the mid terms.

Roy Rolling

(7,668 posts)
49. It's a Wonderful Accomplishment
Sun Apr 26, 2026, 05:01 AM
13 hrs ago

I applaud the project supporters.

But, again, why are we so “capitalist macho” when building roads to begin with? Instead of aggressively and permanently defacing the wildlife’s lifelong habitat, how about considering a tunnel for the road below certain stretches of wildlife crossing? Could one iota of planning have considered this solution for a 10-lane freeway?

Would a tunnel respecting the wildlife cost more than the $114 million so far, with another $20 million more to connect the ends of the bridge?

hunter

(40,783 posts)
55. The roads should never have been built in the first place.
Sun Apr 26, 2026, 12:04 PM
6 hrs ago

My grandma would talk about driving between Los Angeles and San Francisco when she was a kid and nearly all of that highway was a two lane country road. It was her dad's idea to drive because he liked to show off his car. The trip inevitably took days of breakdowns, flat tires, and sketchy accommodations.

Sensible people took the train. My great grandfather's in-laws would scold him for endangering his family.

Our modern car culture was driven in large part by racism, especially in California and the industrial states that fought for the Union in the Civil War. It was a covert form of apartheid. They found the "whites only" practices of the Southern states distasteful, and they couldn't really segregate trains and busses without their hypocrisy being obvious. But they could build suburbs accessible only to automobiles and then make it difficult for people who were not white to buy automobiles or homes in these newly developed suburbs, effectively making them "whites only" but without the signs.

I grew up in a place that was 99% white. It was kept that way by a variety of underhanded means. One of those was police harassment of drivers who were not white. "Driving While Black" citations were a sport for the local police department. A black person could be pulled over for not pausing long enough at a stop sign and possibly end up in jail with their car impounded if they were not perfectly polite. Or even if they were. A white guy could be driving drunk, run over some trash cans, and the cops might helpfully escort him home without any citations or other written records.

The social isolation of car culture let white people pretend injustices like this were not happening.

If you are on a bus or a train or walking down a street busy with pedestrians and the police start harassing or assaulting someone unjustly everyone sees it up close. They can't simply avert their eyes for a moment and drive on past.

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