Kitten Finds Same Fate as Mother: P-52 Killed on Freeway

P-39 was killed after she was struck Dec. 3, leaving her young to fend for themselves.

Just a month after mountain lion P-39 was killed when she was struck on a freeway, her 7-month-old kitten P-52 was struck and killed on the same stretch of road Thursday, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area officials said.

P-39, fitted with a GPS collar by researchers, was killed when she was struck on the 188 Freeway near the Rocky Peak exit Dec. 3.

Researchers investigated when P-39’s collar stopped functioning, but the cat’s remains were never found.

Many wondered about the fate of her young, three 7-month-old kittens P-50, P-51, and P-52, after her death. Tragically, P-52 met the same exact fate a month later Thursday.

P-52’s death would mark the 14th case of a mountain lion killed on a freeway or road in the region since 2002.

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