Two blue-eyed mountain lion kittens were found earlier this month in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA), according to Los Angeles Daily News. The National Park Service (NPS) website cites the NPS and California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists as the ones who originally made the discovery in the central part of the range.
The siblings, a male and female, were dubbed P-59 and P-60, respectively. They will both be part of an ongoing study of species in and around the mountains. According to social media, the SMMNRA rangers believe their father is P-12, which, if correct, suggests inbreeding among the mountain lions. The rangers believe this underscores the need for safe wildlife crossing at Liberty Canyon, a goal of the “#SaveLACougars” campaign.
Earlier this month, another mountain lion, P-55, from the SMMNRA made headlines when he successfully crossed the Ventura (101) Freeway near Thousand Oaks.