Two Mountain Lions Found Dead, Rat Poison Involved in Both Deaths

By Samantha Bravo · Sat Oct 12 2019

Two collared mountain lions were found dead in the Santa Monica Mountains earlier this month, according to information shared by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area on Facebook on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

National Park Service biologists reported the cause of death for the six-year-old male, also known as P-30, was anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning. Unknown poison was found in the carcass of the second lion, four-year-old female, also known as P-53. Rat poison was also found in her liver.

Since 2002, National Park Service researchers documented anticoagulant rodenticides, and officials said he is the fifth mountain lion in the long-term study of the species to die from this poison.