Questionable Lineage, Questionable Future For Adorable Cougar Kittens
Written by 991KBU on September 5, 2018
A monthlong romance in the Santa Monica Mountains has led to a litter of kittens for two local mountain lions.
Four kittens have arrived … given the names P70, 71, 72, and 73.
They are described as adorable and in good health by park service biologists.
But their family situation … well … it’s complicated.
The mom … P-19.
The dad…. P-56.
The sad part … P-56 is P-19’s grandson.
This is the inbreeding that scientists are worried about.
Mountain lions … as Malibu residents well know … are the apex predator in the local mountains.
Eliminate them … and prepare for an overrun of deer and other mammals … with diseases that can jump to pets and even humans.
That’s happened in other places.
Work continues to line up funding and permits for a wildlife bridge across the 101 Freeway at Liberty Canyon … north of Malibu.
That $60 million dollar project is planned to Open up at a gateway for mountain lions to migrate across the freeway to the mountains to the north.
