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Episode details

World Service,3 mins

Smile! California's having a baby lion boom

Newsday

Available for over a year

There's been a mountain lion baby boom in southern California to the delight of rangers and local people - with 13 new kittens born. It comes despite massive challenges for the animals: two years ago a massive fire burned half their habitat, and they have been squeezed into a limited area because of urban development and a massive 10 lane freeway which only a handful have ever managed to cross. This has led to inbreeding which could lead to the eventual extinction of the lions. Jeff Sikich is a biologist with the National Park Service of Santa Monica Mountains. (Photo: Some of the new lion kittens. Credit: National Park Service)

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