Wildlife experts at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) have determined that three mountain lion kittens born in the Santa Monica Mountains last month are likely the result of inbreeding in which the father mated with his offspring.
This discovery is merely the latest evidence that mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains are unable to cross the 101 Freeway in order to mate with unrelated felines from the Santa Susana Mountains and Simi Hills.
“Unfortunately, this litter of kittens is the latest example of first-order inbreeding in which a father mates with his offspring,” said Dr. Seth Riley, an urban wildlife expert from the SMMNRA, a local National Park Service unit. He added, “Allowing safe passage from the Simi Hills into the Santa Monica Mountains is our best shot at addressing the lack of genetic diversity in the local population.”
The father of the kittens, a mountain lion known as Puma 12, or P-12, is the only radio-collared mountain lion documented to successfully cross the 101 Freeway. His crossing meant that new genetic material was added to the otherwise isolated population in the Santa Monica Mountains. In October, a mountain lion attempting to cross the 101 Freeway in the same location, near the Liberty Canyon exit in Agoura Hills, was struck and killed by a car.
Wildlife experts at the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy are considering funding a study to determine solutions to address the issue of genetic isolation in the mountain range. One past suggestion has been to build a $10 million tunnel under the freeway. Although that attempt at securing transportation for the animals was unsuccessful, another round of applications is expected next year.
Inbreeding is only one of many challenges facing the mountain lion population in the Santa Monica Mountains. A recent National Park Service study following 30 lions indicates that violent interactions with other mountain lions, rodenticide poisoning, and vehicular collisions make up the top causes of death for these species.
The SMMNRA, home to approximately 22 tagged mountain lions, is the largest urban national park in the United States. It encompasses more than 150,000 acres of coastal and mountainous land in both Los Angeles and Ventura counties.