A rendering of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.
On Earth Day, April 22, 2022, there will be a historic groundbreaking 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Construction will begin on the world’s largest wildlife crossing, which will connect two parts of the Santa Monica mountains that have been long separated by the 10-lane 101 freeway.
Sixty percent of the $90 million bridge—named the Wallis Annenberg wildlife crossing—is being paid for by private donations and the rest will come from state funds set aside for conservation purposes.
The massive 210-foot long and 165-foot wide bridge will allow safe passage for mountain lions, coyotes, deer, lizards, snakes and other animals to the other side to allow them to find mates and food. Increasing the number of potential mates will work to increase the genetic diversity among the various species.
“There's a reason I wanted to support this crossing and issue this challenge: We need to move beyond mere conservation, toward a kind of environmental rejuvenation,” said philanthropist Wallis Annenberg, who donated $25 million to the project.
“Wildlife crossings are powerfully effective at doing just that—restoring ecosystems that have been fractured and disrupted. It's a way of saying, there are solutions to our deepest ecological challenges, and this is the kind of fresh new thinking that will get us there,” Annenberg continued.
The bridge is designed to seamlessly integrate with the landscape and will feature vegetated sound walls to decrease the light and the noise coming from the freeway.
The crossing will allow animals on both sides to have access to the entire 150,000-acre space in the Santa Monica mountains. It will also help support the local mountain lion population, which is estimated to have dwindled to 10 to 12 animals. At least 25 big cats have been killed on L.A.-area freeways over the past 20 years.
The latest death was last month when a young mountain lion was struck by a car on Pacific Coast Highway.
“We have the chance to give these mountain lions a shot at a future,” said Beth Pratt, a conservation leader with the National Wildlife Federation.
via Living Habitats
The bridge will help improve the area’s biodiversity and it will also serve as a reminder for the 300,000 people who drive through the area each day that we share the planet with other living beings.
“Someone could be in rush-hour traffic, and there could be a mountain lion right above them,” Pratt said. “I think that’s such a hopeful image, and one that inspires me that we can right some of these great wrongs.”
via Living Habitats
The state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, says the project is an "inspiring example" of public-private partnership.
"California's diverse array of native species and ecosystems have earned the state recognition as a global biodiversity hotspot. In the face of extreme climate impacts, it's more important than ever that we work together to protect our rich natural heritage," Newsom said in a statement.
The project's lead architect, Robert Rock from Living Habitats in Chicago, hopes the bridge will inspire a movement that reconnects man and nature.
“As both a tool for and a symbol of connection, it will stand as an alluring challenge to future generations to pick up the mantle of design to bridge the gaps elsewhere in our world,” he says.
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"Now your fishes will be warmed."
"To have one’s eyes lined with ham."
"To lay your head in water."
"Repetition teaches the donkey."
"I only understand train station."
"To speak directly from the liver."
"Horse horse, tiger tiger."
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Medusa image of giant squid in Gulf of Mexico off of Mississippi Gulf CoastPhoto credit: 
Sign warning against feeding alligators next to alligator in Mississippi marshlandsCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
Mississippi Gulf Coast beach in BiloxiCourtesy of Jacalyn Wetzel
2009 photo of giant squid caught in Gulf of Mexico near Mississippi GulfPhoto credit: 
Thank goodness this story has a happy ending.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."