Desert wildlife crossings take shape with $5.5m injection from state

The planning process for two wildlife crossings will begin in the California desert thanks to a $5.5m state-funded grant. The crossings over State Route 62 will benefit local residents by reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and will provide safe passage for numerous wildlife species including two threatened mountain lion populations. California’s Wildlife Conservation Board awarded the Mojave Desert Land Trust with $5.5 million in grant funding for the planning phase of the wildlife crossings. The Land Trust will be the grantee, Caltrans will be the transportation agency, and the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission and the Mojave Desert Resource Conservation District will serve as local agency partners.