Discovery and tracking P-64 was first captured at the
Santa Susana Field Laboratory in the
Simi Hills in February 2018, at which point he was fitted with a
GPS collar. At the time, he was estimated to be three or four years old. and was only the fifth mountain lion documented to cross U.S. 101 and the second to cross from north to south. P-64 used a
culvert near
Liberty Canyon to cross U.S. 101, giving him the nickname "Culvert Cat".
Death Mountain lions usually escape fires as long as they do not get caught between two of them. A secondary risk, however, is returning to the burn area too early, which can cause feet burns that prevent successful hunting, causing
starvation. P-64 was one of eleven or thirteen P-64 was tracked in an unburned section on November 26, giving researchers hope for his survival, but his tracker stopped transmitting on November 28 and biologists discovered his dead body near this location five days later. He had burnt paws and appeared to have been dead for several days at the time of his discovery. The
National Park Service lists his cause of death as unknown, Post-mortem testing revealed six
anticoagulant compounds commonly used in
rat poison in his liver.
Family P-64 is the suspected father of four kittens born in May 2018, although this has yet to be confirmed. ==Significance==