Two 14-month-old mountain lion cubs in Orange County are facing a precarious future after their mother, known as F390, was killed by a vehicle on Highway 74 earlier this month. F390, who had been tracked by UC Davis scientists for nearly two years, was raising her first litter when she died. In the wild, cubs typically stay with their mothers for up to two years, but these cubs must now fend for themselves prematurely.
According to Voice of OC, the cubs are too old to be taken in by a zoo but still too young to have left their mother naturally. Fernando Nájera, head of the UC Davis Carnivore Project, explained that if the cubs were younger, they would have been taken to a rehabilitation facility. However, the cubs are expected to manage on their own, as they would have only had a few more months with their mother.
The biggest challenge for the cubs is their youthful curiosity, which can lead them into dangerous situations, especially near human populations. Winston Vickers, the UC Davis Mountain Lion Project Director, noted that young mountain lions are often curious about humans, which can result in trouble.
The death of F390 has sparked calls for increased protection for mountain lions in California. As reported by The San Bernardino Sun, the California Carnivores Program at UC Davis confirmed the death of the three-year-old female puma and emphasized the need for more wildlife crossings to prevent such incidents. Tiffany Yap, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity, stressed the importance of connectivity and safe road crossings for wildlife to prevent further losses.
The Santa Ana Mountains’ mountain lion population is already struggling with inbreeding and habitat fragmentation due to roads and development. Conservationists are advocating for more wildlife crossings and better planning to protect these iconic predators and their habitats.
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