Mountain Lion Struck and Killed in Santa Barbara
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol began receiving calls about a mountain lion on Highway 101 around 10:20 a.m. Monday.
Witnesses reported seeing a large cat get hit near the Castillo Street off-ramp.
The remains of the mountain lion were later spotted on the right shoulder of the southbound side of the freeway.
Julia Di Sieno, co-founder and director of the Animal Rescue Team in Santa Ynez, said she initially thought the lion might still be alive, but it did not survive.
“A gorgeous mountain lion bolted across the southbound 101 at the Castillo off-ramp and was struck by a vehicle several vehicles ahead of me,” Di Sieno said. “I immediately exited the highway and got back on northbound as I was calling Fish and Wildlife to report the deceased cat.”
Di Sieno returned to the scene as officers arrived.She questioned why the cat was so far displaced from its natural habitat.
There have also been recent mountain lion sightings in Ojai.
Di Sieno said she would like to see Santa Barbara County construct a wildlife crossing in the area.
“We have a couple of those placed strategically along Highway 154,” she said.
A major crossing project in Agoura Hills — the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing — is set to be completed by the end of the year.
For more information about that project, visit https://annenberg.org.