Memorial for mountain lion P-22, ‘the king of Griffith Park,’ draws thousands

Thousands of people flocked to the Greek Theatre on Saturday, February 4, 2023, to celebrate the life and legacy of P-22, the mountain lion who prowled Griffith Park for more than a decade.

In an event that lasted more than three hours and was streamed online to thousands of viewers, more than four dozen speakers — including scientists, advocates, politicians and celebrities — honored the puma’s far-reaching impact on environmental advocacy and wildlife research.

“You will be remembered as the king of Griffith Park,” said the DJ and music producer Diplo …

The mountain lion surprised the world in 2012 when he appeared in Griffith Park, long considered too small to be home to an apex predator. To reach Los Feliz from his likely birthplace in the Santa Monica Mountains, the cougar would have made an improbable journey through the Hollywood Hills, crossing the 405 and 101 freeways.

P-22’s solitary presence in the heart of Los Angeles became the foundation for an international campaign to build the world’s largest wildlife bridge across the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. And his nighttime forays into Los Feliz and Silver Lake, caught on iPhones and Ring doorbell cameras, helped teach Californians that Los Angeles is far wilder than it appears.

“He made us more human, made us connect more to that wild place in ourselves,” said Beth Pratt, a regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation and the organizer of the event. “We are part of nature, and he reminded us of that.”

By Laura J. Nelson Staff Writer LA Times