Mountain Lion Killed Trying to Cross the Freeway

A young mountain lion known as P-32 -- the only male known to have successfully ventured to the north out of the Snata Monica Mountains -- was fatally struck by a car while trying to cross the Golden State (5) Freeway in Castaic, National Park Service officials announced today.

P-32, who had previously crossed the Ventura (101) Freeway and three other highways in the Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley areas, was killed Monday morning, according to parks officials.

“This case illustrates the challenges that mountain lions in this region face, particularly males,” said Seth Riley, a wildlife ecologist with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. “P-32 conquered all kinds of freeways and highways to reach the Los Padres (National Forest), but it was probably another dominant male that made him leave the area and attempt one last crossing, which obviously was not successful.”

P-32 was 21 months old. He had been tagged by the National Park Service when he was four weeks old. Based on GPS data from his collar, he was likely struck between 4 and 6 a.m. Monday, according to the NPS.

Parks officials said only one male mountain lion born in the Santa Monica Mountains is known to have survived into adulthood -- P-22, who roams Griffith Park. P-22 crossed both the 101 Freeway and the San Diego (405) Freeway to make it to the park, but officials said they do not consider his movement out of the mountains to be “successful” because he is now in an isolated area with chance of reproducing.

P-32 is the 12th mountain lion killed on a freeway or road since researchers began studying them in 2002.

City News Service; Photo: P-32 courtesy of UCLA