A mountain lion kitten whose whereabouts were unknown since 2016 was recently found in Chatsworth.
The kitten, known as P50, was discovered May 5 after wildlife officers responded to reports of a young mountain lion in a gardening center, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a Facebook post.
After tranquilizing the cat, officers discovered its ear tag and determined P50 as the only remaining survivor of a litter of three.
The kittens' mother, P39 was hit and killed by a car in December 2016. At the time of P39's death, scientists believed her kittens were old enough to hunt and survive on their own, but two of them also died when they were later struck by vehicles.
After physically examining P50, wildlife officers moved him to the Santa Susana Mountains, where he was able to walk away on his own.
"Although it's not entirely surprising, this story is a great example of the innate survival instinct that mountain lions possess," said CDFW Rebecca Barboza, a wildlife environmental scientist.
Calififornia Department of Fish and Wildlife staff said the kitten was healthy and in good shape, and there was evidence that it was successfully hunting small mammals.
