P-122, a GPS-collared mountain lion that researchers had been tracking in the western Santa Monica Mountains, was shot on private land in the Thousand Oaks area after the animal attacked sheep, according to officials. The lion was transported to the Los Angeles Zoo, where veterinarians found severe injuries and recommended euthanasia. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife later issued an after-the-fact depredation permit for the property owner.
How the shooting unfolded
According to state wildlife officials, the landowner first fired a warning shot with a .22-caliber firearm before later shooting the lion with a .30-06 rifle while the cat was actively preying on sheep on private property adjacent to open habitat. Using data from the mountain lion's GPS collar and a VHF transmitter, authorities located the animal after the attack. The department investigated and concluded that the killing complied with state law, then issued an after-the-fact depredation permit, as reported by the Ventura County Star.
Tagged and tracked
The young male was first captured and tranquilized in a Camarillo neighborhood on Feb. 19, 2025, and released into the western Santa Monica Mountains with a GPS collar as part of a long-running local study. That initial capture and relocation were reported by the Los Angeles Times. The National Park Service, which has monitored Santa Monica Mountains pumas since 2002, notes that the local population is small and vulnerable, often supporting only one or two breeding adult males at a time. Each loss, researchers say, can be consequential for the population's already limited genetic diversity (National Park Service).
Conservation and the law
State rules allow a landowner to kill a mountain lion if it is encountered while in the act of pursuing, injuring or killing livestock, and the department may issue depredation permits after investigating reported losses, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife explains (CDFW). At the same time, the California Fish & Game Commission voted in February to list several Southern California and Central Coast mountain lion populations as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act, a move that adds habitat protections even as agencies continue to process depredation reports (Fish & Game Commission).
Researchers and advocates react
Biologists say losing a collared subadult is particularly troubling for a genetically isolated population already facing vehicle strikes, rodenticide exposure and territorial killings. Tiffany Yap of the Center for Biological Diversity said the response to conflicts should seek a middle path between human needs and wildlife protection: "I think it needs to be in a way that is compassionate towards the mountain lions and the people living on the landscape," as reported by the Ventura County Star. Conservation groups continue to press for nonlethal deterrents and improved habitat connectivity to reduce repeat encounters.
Legal implications
The case highlights the growing tension between long-standing depredation rules and the new threatened designation. CDFW guidance and the Fish & Game Code lay out a process: report, investigate, then, when warranted, issue a permit. The agency also notes that immediate lethal action is allowed if an animal is caught in the act of attacking livestock, a framework that was cited in this incident (CDFW). Observers expect more administrative and legal scrutiny in future cases as heightened protections and property-owner concerns continue to collide.
What to watch
Wildlife managers say the episode underscores the need for connectivity projects such as the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway and for expanded nonlethal protections for domestic animals. With the state listing now in place and depredation rules still available, officials and residents should expect continued debate over how to reconcile livestock protection with efforts to sustain the region's fragile cougar population (101 Wildlife Crossing).
