This video is more than just a visit with five incredibly cute mountain lion cubs. It’s actually breaking news, of a sort. Researchers from the National Park Service discovered two litters of cubs in an unexpected place: California’s eastern Santa Susana Mountains. It’s good news because it means that mountain lions are continuing to reproduce despite natural and manmade challenges, like our freeways.
The five kittens have been named, for now, with numbers by the researchers. A 6-year-old named P-35 gave birth to two females, P-48 and P-49. The second litter’s mom is P-39. Her daughter is P-51, and her two sons are P-50 and P-52. Researchers believe all of the cubs have the same dad, P-38.
At the top of the video, that seems to be the young P-48 trying to warn us off with her mighty (and unfortunately silent) roar, before settling into a little purr. Judging by her oversized paws, she’s going to be a big one—one day.
And Mom is apparently not too fond of paparazzi, even if it is for science.
