Three blue-eyed mountain lion kittens have been discovered in the hills of Southern California, offering a hopeful glimpse into the future of a cougar population threatened by habitat loss and urban development. National Park Service biologists recently located the roughly 3-week-old kittens in a den in the Simi Hills, north of the 101 Freeway, according to the Ventura County Star. The litter includes one male and two females, all of which appeared healthy during brief examinations, wildlife biologist Jeff Sikich told the newspaper.
The kittens have been designated P-141, P-142 and P-143. The discovery came after GPS tracking data suggested P-113, who wears a monitoring collar, had been spending an extended period in one location. Researchers hiked into the area and found the kittens. According to the Ventura County Star, P-113 had been seen traveling with a male mountain lion, P-124, several months earlier. Mountain lions typically have a gestation period of about 90 days. Now, researchers are watching her raise her first litter. The kittens could eventually play an important role in the survival of Southern California’s mountain lions. The cougar population in the Santa Monica Mountains has become increasingly isolated by freeways and development, contributing to inbreeding, low genetic diversity and deadly conflicts between mountain lions.
Researchers hope the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway, expected to open later this year, will help reconnect the isolated populations. If any of the newly discovered kittens eventually cross into the Santa Monica Mountains, they could help introduce much-needed genetic diversity, Sikich told the Ventura County Star. For now, the kittens are expected to remain with their mother for approximately 18 months before venturing out on their own.
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