Community, Diversity, Sustainability and other Overused Words

Articles written by Kate Kuykendall


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  • Mountain Lion Crosses 405 Freeway, Becoming Bel Air's Most Famous Cougar

    Kate Kuykendall, Natl Park Service|Aug 18, 2019
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    8/8/19: The National Park Service has documented a rare case of a mountain lion crossing the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass area. The male mountain lion known as P-61 made his way east of the massive freeway sometime between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on the morning of July 19th. This is the first time during the course of the 17-year study of mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains that a GPS-collared lion has crossed the 405 Freeway. In the same general vicinity...

  • Mountain Lion P-47 Found Dead, Poison Suspected as Cause of Death

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|May 6, 2019

    THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The mountain lion known as P-47 was recently found dead in the Santa Monica Mountains, and lab results indicate he may have succumbed to poisoning from anticoagulant rodenticide, commonly known as rat poison. P-47's remains were discovered on March 21 after his GPS collar sent out a mortality signal and NPS biologists hiked in to find him in the central portion of the mountain range. He did not have any visible wounds. Testing on a sample of his liver showed that the...

  • Cougar P-62 & Four #MountainLion Kittens Living Between Freeways in Simi Hills

    Kate Kuykendall, Natl Park Service|Jun 22, 2018

    National Park Service researchers recently discovered a litter of four mountain lion kittens in the Simi Hills, a small area of habitat wedged between the larger Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountain ranges. All four kittens are females and are now known as P-66, P-67, P-68, and P-69. The mother is P-62, who researchers have been tracking since January. Biologists visited the den site while she was away on June 11, locating it after several previous attempts failed because radio telemetry...

  • Mountain Lion Crossing: Report Lists Best Places to Lion Watch in So Cal

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Apr 27, 2018

    A new report offers recommendations on the location and type of wildlife crossing structures proposed for two of the busiest freeways in the world. Interstate 15 in western Riverside County and U.S. 101 in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties both bisect large areas of natural habitat and serve as major barriers to wildlife movement and gene flow, especially for mountain lions. The report summarizes the input from some of the world's foremost experts on wildlife connectivity and crossing structures...

  • Rat Poison Found in Mountain Lion P-41's Body found in the Verdugo Mountains

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Dec 23, 2017

    3/19: Lab tests were unable to determine a cause of death for P-41, a mountain lion whose movements in the Verdugo Mountains were captured in beautiful photographs by citizen scientists, National Park Service officials said. But the lab results from the state Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory did show the cougar suffered from a common issue among big cats in California's wildlife-urban interface: poisoning. "The lab found both first- and second-generation anticoagulants in his liver,"...

  • Visit National Parks, Contribute to the Westside's Local Economy

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Apr 27, 2017

    Thousand Oaks, Calif. – A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2016 shows that 906,605 park visitors spent an estimated $39.4 million in the local community while visiting Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. That spending supported 557 jobs and contributed $54.3 million to our local economy. In the past year, visitors to Channel Islands National Park spent an estimated $22.4 million in local gateway regions, supporting 315 jobs and providing $31.9 million in economic b...

  • Now We Know What Became of Mountain Lion P-39's Kittens

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Jan 28, 2017

    THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- A young female mountain lion was recently struck and killed by a vehicle on State Route 118, marking the third time a mountain lion was hit by a vehicle on the same stretch of freeway since December. The carcass was collected by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) one mile east of the Rocky Peak exit on the evening of Jan. 14 and was soon after identified by National Park Service (NPS) researchers as P-51, an eight-month-old kitten. CDFW will perform a...

  • Car Kills Mama Mountain Lion, Leaving 3 Six Month Old Cubs Near Chatsworth, California

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Dec 19, 2016

    THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- National Park Service (NPS) biologists confirmed this week that a mountain lion recently struck and killed by a vehicle on the 118 Freeway was P-39, an adult female with three six-month-old kittens. "Unfortunately, we have no way of locating the kittens, as they are not wearing a tracking device." said an NPS spokeswoman, when asked if they would be relocated. "Navigating our complex road network is a major challenge for mountain lions in this region," said Jeff Sikich,...

  • National Park Service Hosts Third Annual Bird Fest November 12

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS

    All bird enthusiasts are invited to attend this year's Bird Fest at the Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center on Saturday, November 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. "There will be live bird presentations, a variety of talks from bird experts, guided bird walks, children's activities, and representatives from over 30 bird and environmentally friendly organizations" said Sophia Wong, store and events manager for the Western National Parks Association. "This fun event will offer...

  • Local Bobcat Appears Recovered from Bout with Mange

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Oct 14, 2016

    THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- When National Park Service researchers captured Bobcat 342, known as B-342, back in early July, the four-to-five-year-old male was clearly suffering from mange. He was outfitted with a GPS collar, treated with a topical solution, and released on site after blood and tissue samples were taken. "Unfortunately, we continue to find that anticoagulant rodenticide is working its way up the food chain," said Joanne Moriarty, a wildlife biologist for Santa Monica Mountains...

  • Star Watching: See The Milky Way at Night from your Local National Park!

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Sep 20, 2016

    Photos of the night sky in the Santa Monica Mountains can be Light Pollution from within SoCal's Coastal National Parks Steady or Decreasing Two of the parks, however, experience very high levels of the light pollution Thousand Oaks, CA - A study published today found that the amount of light pollution produced within Southern California's three coastal National Park Service units has not significantly changed, and in one case has decreased, over the past two decades. Overall, however, the study...

  • Every Kid in a Park Program Returns to the Santa Monica Mountains

    Kate Kuykendall, NPS|Sep 11, 2016

    Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area encourages all fourth graders to visit the park this year as part of the Every Kid in a Park program. The program gives fourth grade students, and those accompanying them, free access to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters. Visit www.EveryKidinaPark.gov to download the pass and obtain more information. "A lifelong love of parks and the outdoors usually starts with a school field trip," said David Szymanski, superintendent of Santa...

  • National Park Service Shares Ranching History Through "Horse Tales"

    Kate Kuykendall, National Park Service|Aug 24, 2016

    THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The National Park Service invites the public to tour historic Rancho Sierra Vista on Saturday, September 10 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. In addition to an optional one-mile hike, visitors of all ages can meet the National Park Service patrol horses and participate in activities related to the area's ranching past. Located in Newbury Park, Rancho Sierra Vista's ranching history stretches back to 1803, when former soldiers Jose Polanco and Ignacio Rodriquez were granted Rancho...

  • Backbone Trail Cowgirls Complete Ride Saturday. One, Ruth Gerson, is 82 years old.

    Kate Kuykendall, National Park Service|Jul 25, 2016

    Five courageous ladies are embarking on a major challenge of skill and adventure in a couple of weeks. The Backbone Trail Cowgirls are setting out to ride the entire Backbone Trail on horseback as the first group to do so since the trail was completely opened end-to-end and officially designated as a National Recreation Trail. Update: 82-year-old Ruth Gerson and four friends will complete their horseback ride of the 67-mile Backbone Trail on Saturday, 7/23. They began their journey on 7/18 at...

  • Mountain Lions: Five Kittens Discovered in Santa Susana Mountains

    Kate Kuykendall, National Park Service|Jul 13, 2016

    THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- National Park Service researchers recently discovered two litters of mountain lion kittens in the eastern Santa Susana Mountains. A total of five kittens, three females and two males, were eartagged and returned to their respective dens earlier this month. The Santa Susanas are a large mountain range that provides a critical habitat connection between the Santa Monica Mountains to the south and Los Padres National Forest to the north. "Despite the challenges mountain...