A mountain lion was reportedly struck and killed by a vehicle on Highway 118 near Topanga Canyon Boulevard on Dec. 10. Though the location of the strike was miles from Malibu, local park rangers said the mountain lion lived within the Santa Monica Mountains study area.
A passerby documented the incident and sent a photo to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area at 9:30 p.m. that evening, marking the 13th case reported in the Santa Monica Mountains’ study area since 2002.
Park crews are unable to confirm whether the mountain lion is a study animal at this time, as they have yet to track down the animal’s remains.
It is also reported by rangers that mountain lion P-39 and her kittens may have been in the vicinity at the time of the accident, though their whereabouts have not been confirmed.
“P-39 and her kittens (currently about 6 months of age) were in the general area around this time, but without the animal’s remains to look at the ear tags or take a DNA sample, we are still uncertain,” the SMMNRA reported on social media. “This is a reminder of how challenging it can be for wildlife to navigate Southern California’s extensive road network.”
Santa Monica Mountains mountain lions have received a great deal of press over issues related to roadway crossings in the area. Because crossings are unsafe, the local population is reportedly in danger of extinction in the next 50 years.