2nd Mountain Lion Kitten Killed on Freeway | KCET
Title
2nd Mountain Lion Kitten Killed on Freeway
This article is based on material from City News Service and the National Park Service
An 8-month-old female mountain lion was struck and killed by a vehicle on a stretch of freeway just outside Los Angeles where its mother and brother were fatally struck last month, the National Park Service announced Friday.
The kitten, known as P-51, was found dead Jan. 14 along the the 118 Freeway one mile east of the Rocky Peak exit, according to the NPS. The kitten's mother, P-39, was killed on the same stretch of freeway Dec. 3, and her brother, P-52, was killed on the roadway Dec. 20.
The dead kittens were part of a litter of three mothered by P-39.
The death of P-51 was the 17th known case of a mountain lion killed on a freeway or road in the National Park Service study area around the Santa Monica Mountains since 2002.
"Unfortunately this case illustrates the challenges for mountain lions in the region, where roads are both major barriers to movement and potential sources of mortality," said Seth Riley, wildlife ecologist for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. "The area where these animals were killed is part of a critical wildlife corridor that connects the genetically isolated population in the Santa Monica Mountains to what is considered the nearest source population, in Los Padres National Forest."
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Investigations Lab examined the body of P-52 to determine his overall health, especially because he had been without his mother since she was killed a few weeks earlier. At seven months, mountain lions can cover a significant amount of area, but it is unclear to what extent they can survive on their own. They found that P-52 was thin, weighing 24 lbs., but still had adequate internal fat reserves. Additionally, he had fed recently on a skunk - a typical prey item for a kitten learning to hunt.
“It was positive to see that P-52 had recently fed,” said Marc Kenyon, CDFW’s Mountain Lion Conservation Program Coordinator. “Whether or not these kittens had the ability to feed was a subject of much discussion. Apparently, their mother had taught them predatory skills within their first six to seven months, and we’re hopeful the tests on P-51 confirms this, too.”
Despite the fact that more deaths have occurred on this stretch of the 118, the stretch of the 101 freeway on the northern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains is considered more of a long-term threat to the viability of mountain lions in the region. NPS researchers have documented multiple mountain lions crossing the 118 numerous times, indicating it is less of a barrier than U.S. Highway 101. The fact that it is somewhat easier to cross has led to many more attempted crossings on the 118 than on the 101, resulting in a greater number of deaths.
A hiker/equestrian tunnel that has occasionally been used as an undercrossing is located near where the deaths occurred, but the area lacks adequate wildlife fencing to direct animals to the tunnel.
“Caltrans is aware of the need to protect the biological diversity of the region. To that end, we are working with our partners to study the feasibility for wildlife passage and protection,” said Carrie Bowen, Caltrans District 7 Director.
Southern California’s extensive road network has been shown to be a major barrier for wildlife and has particularly hemmed in the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains. A proposed wildlife crossing on the 101 in Agoura Hills would provide a connection between the genetically isolated population in the Santa Monica Mountains and the robust populations to the north.
The National Park Service has been studying mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains since 2002 to determine how they survive in an increasingly fragmented and urbanized environment.
Support the Articles you Love
We are dedicated to providing you with articles like this one. Show your support with a tax-deductible contribution to KCET. After all, public media is meant for the public. It belongs to all of us.
Keep Reading
-
What truly matters? Ali Behdad, professor of literature; Kristy Edmunds, artist and curator; and Michael Eselun, chaplain for the Simms-Mann/UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology discuss the important things in life.
-
After the screening, KCET Cinema Series host Pete Hammond sat down with director Jay Roach.
-
The U.S. currently incarcerates more people per capita than any other nation in the world. Police forces and school systems are beginning to use diversion tactics to redirect young people away from criminal records.
-
A Q&A will immediately follow the screening with editor Joel Cox.
- 1 of 224
- next ›
Full Episodes
-
SoCal Connected
SoCal Connected Season 10
Access Denied
Season 10
An investigation reveals how the state and many cities have let developers get away for decades with not paying their fair share when they replace affordable lodging with luxury hotels up and down California’s coast.
-
SoCal Connected
SoCal Connected Season 10
Who Killed Josiah?
Season 10
A Humboldt town is polarized over allegations of racism and police incompetence surrounding the death of college student Josiah Lawson.
-
SoCal Connected
SoCal Connected Season 10
Life In Plastic: California’s Recycling Woes
Season 10
As California deals with the fallout of a global waste crisis, plastic manufacturers continue to spread misleading information about recycling, while spending big on lobbying efforts to keep their products on the shelves.
-
SoCal Connected
SoCal Connected
Jazz City
Season 9
For decades Los Angeles has lived in the shadows of New York and Chicago when it comes to the jazz, but that's now changing. LA's jazz scene is on the upswing. Meet the people, places and sounds that are putting LA jazz back on the map.
-
SoCal Connected
SoCal Connected
It's Not Easy Being Green
Season 9
Chopped down trees, unspent money, building homes thirty feet from the freeway: Is the city of Los Angeles falling down on the job when it comes to certain environmental policies? Socal Connected investigates.
- 1 of 53
- next ›
Comments