Mountain lion kitten struck and killed on 118 Freeway

(FOX 11) - The 7-month-old mountain lion kitten known as P-52 was recently struck and killed by a vehicle on the 118 Freeway, officials said Thursday.

It happened just a few miles away from where the kitten's mother, P-39, was also struck and killed on Dec. 3.

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area posted the news on Facebook, which said the recent death is the 14th known case of a mountain lion killed on a freeway or road in the area since 2002.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife collected the animal's remains, and it will be conducting a necropsy in the next few weeks to determine whether the animal was otherwise healthy.

"Although this is a very sad turn of events, I hope that our research can shed insight into the lives of these animals and will inspire future conservation efforts to help wildlife move through the region more safely," Ranger Kate stated in the post.

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