Mother Mountain Lion Struck, Killed On 74 Highway

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A female mountain lion that was struck and killed by a vehicle on Highway 74 has wildlife advocates calling for more protection for California's mountain lion population.

Officials from the California Carnivores Program at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine/Drayer Wildlife Health Center confirmed that a 3-year-old puma, called 'F390,' was killed by a vehicle along Highway 74.

The animal was found dead along the highway by the San Juan Creek trail in Orange County on Thursday, Sept. 4, officials reported.

OC Parks officials found the body of the lion with its identifying collar destroyed.

"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 reporting the lion's death stated. "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."

"Her loss is a stark reminder of the risks carnivores face as their habitats overlap with our roads and communities."

According to officials, F390 was raising a male and female cub, who are now about 14 years old. There was no information on the whereabouts of the litter.