P-81 found on Pacific Coast Highway near Las Posas Road
On Sunday, January 22, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) sadly confirmed the death of P-81, a four-year-old mountain lion. The animal’s body was collected on Pacific Coast Highway near Las Posas Road in the western Santa Monica Mountains. A necropsy will be performed to confirm the cause of death.
P-81 was significant due to his physical abnormalities – a kinked tail that formed an “L” shape and only one descended testicle – which marked the first evidence of potential inbreeding depression due to lack of genetic diversity since 2002 when biologists began studying mountain lions in the park. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway – currently under construction in Agoura Hills – is key for connecting wildlife populations within the Santa Monica Mountains, including mountain lions, with other populations to the north.
Vehicle strikes are unfortunately leading to a large number of deaths among mountain lions; nine have already been reported between March 2022 and today (January 22nd). Of these nine deaths, six were radio-collared animals including P-81, bringing their total number of deaths from road mortality since 2002 up to 34.
