A mountain lion was found dead Saturday on Highway 101 near Agoura Hills, close to the wildlife crossing landmark currently under construction over the highway.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the animal was found in the far right lane of the southbound highway near Liberty Canyon Road. According to the department, someone called at 4:48 a.m. about a possible animal on the road

Wildlife advocates hope the crossing can save the endangered local mountain lion population from extinction, which could become inevitable if lions continue a historic pattern of inbreeding due to the limited number of cats in the area.

Construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing began in 2022 and is expected to be completed in late 2025 or early 2026.

The fully landscaped crossing is designed to create a connection between the small population of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and the larger and genetically diverse populations to the north. The crossing will be the largest of its kind in the country, officials said.

Decades of road construction and development have been deadly for animals trying to cross the area’s highways, while creating islands of habitat with genetically isolated wildlife ranging from bobcats to birds and lizards. More information about the project is available online at www.101wildlifecrossing.org.