A group of hikers discovered the body of a dead mountain lion on Sunday near Newbury Park in Point Mugu State Park, according to National Park Service.
Biologists identified the lion as Puma-25, a female one-year-old. They do not believe the mammal died as a result of a fight with another lion and suspect Puma-25 had been dead for one week.
“Mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains face a number of challenges to survive,” said Dr. Seth Riley, an expert on urban wildlife with Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). “In addition to conflicts with other lions over territory, lions here have to contend with road mortalities, rodenticide poisoning and occasionally disease.”
Puma-25 had been fitted by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area with a GPS collar in August. But the collar recently fell off and researchers were no longer able to track her. She was presumed to be traveling with her mother and brother.
The remains were taken to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory for testing.