Construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in California entered its final phase, with conservationists hailing it as one of the world's most ambitious efforts to reconnect fragmented habitats. Spanning a major highway near Los Angeles, the crossing is designed to allow mountain lions, deer, coyotes and other wildlife to safely move between ecosystems separated by decades of urban development. Scientists believe the project could improve genetic diversity among isolated animal populations and reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. The initiative is increasingly being viewed as a model for biodiversity conservation in heavily urbanized landscapes worldwide. Source: The New York Times, June 2026