Our National Park Service reports that a group of mountain lion kittens have been found in a patch of poison oak.

Poison oak has no effect on animals, so that is not a concern.

You can read more about this cute and surprising story at the website of the National Park Service.

“This is the 25th litter of kittens NPS biologists have marked at the den site. Four additional litters of kittens were discovered and marked when the kittens were at least six months old and traveling with their mother. 

Each visit to a den by a biologist occurs while the mother is away hunting for food, feeding, or resting. A biologist will track her movements via telemetry while others on the team approach the den area. Once the den is found, the researchers will conduct a general health assessment of the kittens a short distance away and place them back when finished. This typically takes less than an hour.  

The biologists determine the sex of each kitten, take various body measurements including weight, obtain biological samples, and place one uniquely numbered and colored ear tag in each kitten. This tag helps identify them in the future with remote cameras and when recaptured for the placement of a radio collar. ”