Mountain lion's death on California highway leads to push for more protection

"We are deeply saddened to share that mountain lion F390, one of the collared lions in our study, was recently killed by a vehicle strike on Highway 74, a Sept. 5 Instagram post announcing the lion's death states. At just 3 years old, F390 was raising her first litter she had successfully crossed this busy highway many times before, but this time, traffic proved fatal."

"Officials from the California Carnivores Program at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine/Drayer Wildlife Health Center confirmed Monday, Sept. 15, that a 3-year-old female puma, called F390,' was killed along Highway 74, also known as the Ortega Highway. The animal was found dead along the highway by the San Juan Creek trail, on Thursday, Sept. 4, Program Director Fernando Najera said. OC Parks officials found the body, with its identifying collar destroyed."

"The California Carnivores Program, formed in 2001 originally as the California Mountain Lion Project, focuses on mountain lion conservation and protection, and has since expanded to include other carnivore species, such as wolves and bobcats. The program tracks mountain lion's habitat use and movement, including the species' overall health and lifestyle, living among urban development such as roads and highways. F390 was raising a male and female cub, who are now about 14 months old, officials said."

Wildlife advocates are calling for more protection for California's vulnerable mountain lion population. A 3-year-old female puma, F390, was killed by a vehicle strike on Highway 74 near the San Juan Creek trail; OC Parks found the body with its identifying collar destroyed. The puma had been collared since February 2024 and had been tracked across roughly 16 square kilometers of the Santa Ana Mountains. F390 was raising her first litter of a male and female cub now about 14 months old. The California Carnivores Program at UC Davis monitors mountain lion habitat use and movement and expanded from the Mountain Lion Project to include other carnivores.

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