In a wildlife tragic tale, two tagged mountain lion kittens born in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area have not survived.
The kittens — a male known as P-57 and a female designated P-58 — died after being abandoned by their 3-year-old mother, according to Kate Kuykendall of the National Park Service.
They were believed to be the first litter born to the mother cat, known as P-42, Kuykendall said Monday.
“Like all wild animals, many young do not survive until adulthood,” according to a statement posted by Kuykendall on Facebook.
“Interestingly, adult male P-27 visited the den and he and the mom traveled together for six days,” according to Kuykendall.
“We have seen a similar scenario in our study when the mom will leave the den with another male, seemingly to distract him from preying on the kittens, and will then return and move the kittens to a new location. Unfortunately, in this case, P-42 did not return.”
Additional details about the kittens were not immediately available.
–City News Service