Freeway crossing mountain lion dies in Southern California

A mountain lion that managed to cross a Southern California freeway and make its home in the mountains north of Los Angeles has died. (Photo by Eric Kilby/Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0)

LOS ANGELES — A mountain lion that managed to cross a Southern California freeway and make its home in the mountains north of Los Angeles has died.

The National Park Service says the 10-year-old male dubbed P-41 was found dead Wednesday on the edge of the Verdugo Mountains, a small range surrounded by urban sprawl.

Spokeswoman Kate Kuykendall says the carcass had deteriorated so the cause of death is unclear but it’s possible a recent wildfire may have been a contributing factor. She says other cougars have died in fire areas after burning their paws on hot ground and being unable to hunt.

A necropsy will determine how P-41 died.

Biologists have been tracking P-41 since 2015. They believe he crossed State Route 2 — the Glendale Freeway — to reach his territory.