Readers React: Does the mountain lion really need Southern California to step in and save it?

To the editor: In an otherwise comprehensive article on how local freeways cause the deaths of mountain lions, The Times fails to address the fact that mountain lions are otherwise thriving and expanding throughout the state.

This begs the question of why tens of millions of dollars will be spent on wildlife overpasses when real emergencies involving endangered species exist nearby.

What is more important: saving an endangered plant or animal, or pandering to the public’s affection for a “cute” but healthy species.

Mike Post, Winnetka

To the editor: We have limited resources to address unlimited needs. The latest Times installment on the need for a freeway bridge, so that mountain lions can more easily mate, references a report that has a full page “family tree” with individual cats identified. Past Times articles priced the freeway cat bridge at $60 million.

Los Angeles County has at least 40,000 homeless people who do not have access to a bed or basic services. Am I the only person who sees a cat bridge as a warped allocation of limited resources? I have nothing against mountain lions having improved sex lives, but think of what $60 million could do for homeless people.

Perhaps projects like this can happen after more of our fellow citizens have access to a bed, toilet and maybe a shower.

Kevin Dretzka, Los Angeles

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