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Santa Monica Mountains
@santamonicamountainsnps

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Turn up the volume - it’s the weekend! And we literally want you to turn up the volume - for real! The vocalizations from these mountain lion kittens are rad. 😻 Introducing female kitten, P-116, and male kitten, P-117.  Their mother, P-106, is estimated to be about six years old. She gave birth to them in May.   The kittens were found by National Park Service biologists in very dense chaparral in the Santa Susana Mountains. The video was taken at P-106’s den when the kittens were about 24 days old.  This is the 26th litter of kittens National Park Service biologists have marked at the den site. Each visit to a den by a biologist occurs while the mother is away hunting for food, feeding, or resting. A biologist will track her movements via telemetry while others on the team approach the den area. Once the den is found, the researchers will conduct a general health assessment of the kittens a short distance away and place them back when finished. This typically takes less than an hour.    The biologists determine the sex of each kitten, take various body measurements including weight, obtain biological samples, and place one uniquely numbered and colored ear tag in each kitten. This tag helps identify them in the future with remote cameras and when recaptured for the placement of a radio collar.    Since 2002, the National Park Service has been studying mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains to determine how they survive in a fragmented and urbanized environment.   NPS video: Jeff Sikich #santamonicamountains #mountainlions #mountainlionstudy #yourparkstory #puma #cougar