Researchers discovered a litter of four mountain lion kittens in eastern Ventura County.
The kittens were discovered in the Simi Hills, a critical habitat area for mountain lions between the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountain ranges.
Biologists suspected that a female mountain lion named P-62 had been tracking with a radio collar might have given birth, based on her recent movements. But, finding the den was difficult because mountain lions go to great lengths to put them in secluded locations. It's in the hills between the 101 and 118 freeways, on the site of the former Santa Susana Field Laboratory.
Researchers waited until the mother was gone from the den to visit the kittens. They weighed them, took tissue samples, and tagged them. They're known as P-66, P-67, P-68, and P-69, and all appear to be healthy.
