Several young mountain lions found dead in Santa Monica Mountains

The mountain lions of California's Santa Monica Mountains are prematurely dying in the harshness of the urban environment. The body of a young female, known as P-34, was found by a jogger on September 30th. The apparent cause of her death was rodenticide poisoning—which has killed at least two other mountain lions and multiple coyotes, according to the National Park Service.

P-34 was being tracked by researchers since she was three weeks old and stole the spotlight in December of last year when she was spotted hanging out at a mobile home park after wandering through a residential backyard.

Her sibling, P-32, became a source of media attention himself after his incredible journey through the Santa Monica Mountains ended in tragedy on a highway in August.

In September, two three-month-old kittens were also found dead—eaten by some sort of animal.

Dr. Seth Riley, wildlife ecologist for the National Park Service, assessed the situation, "If you're a mountain lion in the Santa Monica Mountains, this is just not an easy place to grow up."