The National Park Service has confirmed that mountain lion P-39 was struck and killed on the 118 near Chatsworth.

I spoke with Kate Kuykendall, a spokesperson with the National Park Service, who told me that only the damaged GPS tracking collar has been found, but they have been informed that the remains were taken to the sanitation district and disposed of nearly two weeks ago. It has taken the park service that long to confirm P-39’s death. She was reportedly killed on December 3.

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P-39’s litter of kittens aren’t old enough to have the hunting skills they need to survive on their own. (Photo: National Park Service)

P-39 leaves behind a litter of three kittens who aren’t old enough to fend for themselves, but the park service doesn’t know where they are and can’t help them. P-50, 51, and 52 have been ear-tagged, but aren’t wearing tracking collars. Even if they knew exactly where in the Santa Susana Mountains they are and could get them, captivity wouldn’t be the best life for them, either.

Kuykendall told me that at six months’ of age, the kittens probably don’t have the hunting skills they need to survive.

Now is a good time to remind drivers to be careful when driving through mountain lion areas. And if you accidentally hit one, please let the authorities know about it.