The mountain lion known as P22 has become something of a celebrity in the city of Los Angeles. The big cat resides in Griffith Park, a 4,000-acre park tucked in the Hollywood hills, and has inspired murals, songs and even an exhibit about his life. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE
Category: Wildlife Crossing Updates
LAist | P-22, ‘The Brad Pitt’ Of Mountain Lions, Celebrates A Decade At Griffith Park
Some call him the “Brad Pitt” of mountain lions. And much like the Hollywood legend, P-22 is showing no signs of slowing down. On Saturday, Los Angeles’ most famous mountain lion will celebrate his 10th anniversary of living in Griffith Park. Cameras first caught P-22 roaming the area at night on Feb. 12, 2012. He...
LA Times | Mission accomplished: Beth Pratt raised millions for a freeway overpass for L.A. cougars
Beth Pratt, showing her tattoo of the mountain lion known as P-22, heads the nonprofit National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign, which seeks to raise funds to build an $87-million bridge that will allow isolated clans of cougars to cross a 10-lane stretch of the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE...
LA Times | This architect is trying to save cougars from becoming roadkill on California freeways
Architect Robert Rock is facing a Herculean task: Design a bridge that will allow mountain lions to cross safely over a stretch of the 101 Freeway that roars with the traffic of 300,000 vehicles each day. The terrain was as challenging as could be. But Rock could see the future — cougars who would otherwise...
CBS Los Angeles | Campaign To Build Wildlife Crossing Over 101 Freeway Raises $18 Million; Groundbreaking Within Sight
“The incredible support of people from around the world has allowed us to advance this project from a visionary idea to an impending reality. This past fall, we released new design visualizations, Caltrans will have the blueprints for the crossing completed this summer, and if fundraising remains strong, we will break ground in November,” said...
ABC 7 | Wildlife crossing over the 101 to save mountain lions getting closer to reality
The fundraising campaign to create a wildlife crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills has reached the $18 million mark, putting the groundbreaking within sight, organizers announced this week. The total raised by the National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign includes a recent $1.4 million gift from a private donor. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL...
The Guardian | Can there be a Hollywood ending for the ‘Brad Pitt of mountain lions’?
“P-22 is a celebrity but he’s not a success story. He’s also a poster child for what’s going wrong here with mountain lions and in some respects all wildlife,” says Beth Pratt, the California director for the National Wildlife Federation and leader of the #SaveLAsCougars campaign. “LA is known for its infamous freeways. One of...
Backpacker | No, That Mountain Lion Wasn’t “Stalking” a Runner
A viral video of a mountain lion has inspired headlines about the cat “stalking” the runner who recorded it. But that’s not what the clip shows. Beth Pratt has a problem with headlines like those. “‘Stalking’ implies you’re hunting something, right?” she says. “I always say this: If a mountain lion is stalking you to...
CBS Los Angeles | ‘Largest Of Its Kind In The World’: Plans For 101 Freeway Wildlife Crossing In Agoura Hills Released
A planned wildlife crossing across the 101 Freeway between Agoura Hills and Calabasas, which will eventually be the largest of its kind in the world, is scheduled to break ground in 2021, according to new plans released Wednesday. “This crossing will save the local mountain lion population from extinction, stand as a global model for...
Fast Company | This massive wildlife crossing will help protect wildlife from L.A. drivers on the 101
For mountain lions living in Los Angeles—and yes, mountain lions do manage to survive in the second-largest city in the U.S.—the 101 freeway is a major barrier to their daily routines. The same is true for other wildlife. But plans to build a massive wildlife crossing over a 10-lane stretch of the freeway just north...