Mountain Lion, Mother of 3 Cubs, Killed Crossing 118 Freeway Near Chatsworth

CHATSWORTH (CNS) — A mountain lion, the mother of three 6-month-old cubs, was was struck and killed by a vehicle on the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway recently.

Known as P-39, the lion was killed Dec. 3, but her identity was confirmed Thursday. She was being tracked by the National Park Service, and the fate of her three cubs remains unknown, but they are not expected to be able to survive on their own.

"It's unlikely that the kittens have developed the hunting skills to survive on their own," National Park Service Ranger Kate wrote on Facebook. "Sadly, we will likely never know what happens to these kittens because they are not wearing a tracking device."

P-39 was killed near the Los Angeles/Ventura county line. Authorities identified her Thursday by the damaged GPS collar found at the freeway's median near where the animal's carcass was found. She had crossed the freeway just days before. It's unclear if her cubs were with her when she was killed.

According to the National Parks Service, which has been tracking local mountain lions since 2002, P-39 is a 5-year-old cat, who recently had her second litter of cubs. Her youngest cubs are known as as P-50, P-51 and P-52.

P-39 had generally stayed in the area north of the 118 Freeway, but she crossed the freeway a few days before she was struck and killed on the roadway just east of the Rocky Peak exit.

The lion's death was not reported to the NPS until several days after it was struck. The animal's remains, which were apparently disposed of before NPS researchers were contacted, have not been located.

"This is a reminder of how challenging it can be for wildlife to navigate Southern California's extensive road network," the park service said in a written release.

P-39 is the 13th known case of a lion being struck and killed on a freeway or road in the NPS study region since 2002. The area's lion population is largely penned in by freeways and urban development, leading to at least one report estimating the species could die off within 50 years.

Her death comes as mountain lion advocates are hoping to build a landscaped wildlife bridge over the 101 (Ventura) Freeway to allow the cats to pass back and forth to mountains near Simi Valley and in central California.

The young lion made headlines last year when she and her pups were caught on park cameras, offering a series of selfies and close-up shots of them feasting on a fresh kill.

City News Service contributed to this report. Photos courtesy of the National Park Service