Hollywood’s famous puma who inspires wildlife corridors

From daredevil to koala thief to Hollywood star, the life of Hollywood Hills resident mountain lion P-22 was one of marvel. P-22, the 22nd Puma studied by National Park Service scientists, is a mountain lion who resided within the hills of Griffith Park in Los Angeles. Although Griffith Park is home of the famous Hollywood sign and the conceptual birthplace of Disneyland, one thing it most definitely isn’t is a common habitat for pumas. 

To arrive at his new home, P-22 was believed to have attempted a feat of treacherous bravery – crossing two major Los Angeles freeways. Considering that vehicle strikes are a leading cause of death for lions in this area, it was no safe escapade. 

P-22’s new home provided him with quite an abnormal life. For one, the typical home range for an adult male mountain lion is 150 square miles. Griffith Park is 9. Secondly, isolation gave P-22 the misfortune of profound relationship struggles. Try as he might – and he did try, by urinating and defecating (ooh lah lah) – no potential suitors resided on P-22’s side of the freeway. Thirdly, his proximity to developed areas led to a multitude of news-headlining encounters. This included, but was not limited to, his entrance into a Los Angeles resident’s home, a stroll in front of the Hollywood sign, and his suspected kidnap and murder of an LA Zoo koala.

This matters to more than just P-22

Although the life of P-22 provided quite a bit of excitement, it puts a spotlight on a critical issue at play. Species across the country have been subjected to habitat fragmentation, when human-made structures create barriers between areas where these animals need to roam. 

Although the population of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains is currently stable, remaining in an islanded area could spell danger. Highway 101 isolates these cougars in their habitat, which decreases their genetic diversity and therefore increases their susceptibility to disease and birth defects. A study conducted in 2016 predicts that if inbreeding continues at this rate, there is a 15–22% chance that the entire population of Santa Monica Mountain cougars will be wiped out within the next 50 years. 

Wildlife Migration Corridors

But there is good news. In 2022, ground broke on a project that could mean salvation for the cougars, deer, lizards, coyotes and all other inhabitants of these mountains. Named the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a large bridge is being built over highway 101 to connect wildlife between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Santa Susana Mountain Range. This 210 foot long bridge is funded by numerous collaborators, including support from our donors, and it could be the difference between extinction and survival for so many of these Southern Californian species. 

Unfortunately, not all mountain lions were able to live to see this monumental crossing come to fruition. On December 17, 2022, P-22 was euthanized at the San Diego Zoo. Days earlier, veterinary pathologists found multiple severe injuries, including trauma showing evidence of a collision with a car. This new wildlife crossing will serve as an honor to his legacy and ensure that others don’t have to share the same fate. 

Projects like this one can act as an example for conservation acts around the country. The bipartisan infrastructure bill included $350 million to help states build new crossings. 

Moreover, the Wildlife Movement Through Partnerships Act, if passed by Congress, would protect and enhance habitat along animal migration routes. Congress should pass it to make sure more species can migrate and move as they need to. If we work together, we can protect the beautiful biodiversity we get to share this planet with.