Biologists Find Litter of Mountain Lion Cubs In Southern California Hills

Despite a devastating year for the mountain lions of Los Angeles, a glimmer of hope recently emerged in the form of an all-female litter of kittens nestled in the southern California hills.

The trio, just over three weeks old, were discovered by biologists in a dense patch of poison oak situated between the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountain ranges. The kittens, named P-113, P-114, and P-115, are in healthy condition, according to a statement released by the National Park Service (NPS).

Jeff Sikich, lead field biologist of the NPS mountain lion study, found this discovery uplifting. “It’s encouraging to see reproduction in our small population of mountain lions, especially after all the mortalities we have documented in the last year,” he said. Fifteen mountain lions have perished in the study area since March 2022, most of them victims of vehicular collisions.

The kittens’ mother, P-77, is estimated to be five to six years old and resides between the bustling 101 and 118 freeways. The father, believed to have come from the Santa Susana mountains, has since returned there.

The question of how these kittens will navigate the landscape as they grow and disperse is an intriguing one for the researchers. Will they remain in the Simi Hills, or will they brave crossing freeways to venture into larger natural areas?

During the mother’s absence, the researchers performed a brief general health assessment on the kittens before tagging each one to aid in future identification. This represents the third litter documented in this area. Unfortunately, the mothers of the previous litters, from 2018 and 2020, are no longer with us. The last two adult males regularly tracked in the Simi Hills have also perished, one in the 2018 Woolsey Fire and another due to poaching in July 2019.

Highways pose a substantial threat to mountain lions, with 535 fatalities reported on California highways from 2015 to 2022. Southern California is looking to mitigate this risk with an $87 million wildlife crossing. This project, currently under construction over a 10-lane stretch of the 101 freeway, aims to connect two parts of the Santa Monica mountains, thereby providing a safe passage for creatures such as this new litter of kittens.

This exciting discovery sheds light on the resilience of nature amidst adversity and provides us with the optimism that, with the right measures, we can coexist with these majestic creatures in our increasingly urbanized landscapes.

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