P-22, the Hollywood Cat, and the Los Angeles Zoo: Mountain Lions at Hollywood Heights Captured on a Lossy Freeway
A famous mountain lion known as the “Hollywood Cat” is being evaluated by wildlife officials after exhibiting signs of distress, including killing a leashed dog in a residential neighborhood.
P-22, as ecologists dubbed him, has made a name for himself in Los Angeles, where he’s been living in Griffith Park — home to the iconic Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Sign — since at least Feb. 2012.
The National Park Service says he was likely able to get to the area by walking through two big L.A. freeways. He’s gained further fame over the years, with some of his greatest hits including posing for a photo at the Hollywood Sign, burrowing beneath a home in a tale that enthralled TV audiences, and killing a koala at the L.
P-22 is celebrated as “Brad Pitt of mountain lions and anambassador for urban wildlife.” The oldest Southern California cougar currently being studied is thought to be 12 years old and puts him at the far end of his species’ typical lifespan.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is concerned that he may be showing signs of distress due to the reports of him getting close to human dwellings. P-22 One of the recent attacks on leashed chihuahuas, which killed one in Hollywood Hills in November and injured another earlier this month are blamed on him.
There are many mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains, and one of them gave birth to a baby last week, making them the only mountain lions that have crossed the freeways.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/12/13/1142450048/p22-mountain-lion-hollywood-captured
A Mountain Lion “Angelenos” Meets a Human: Jessica Picchi, a Wildlife Officer, and the Recovery of P-22
On Sunday night, authorities received an anonymous report indicating that P-22 may have been struck by a vehicle. They found him the next day in a neighborhood south of his home base and tracked him down using the GPS signal from his collar, the agencies said in a joint release.
Resident Sarah Picchi was working from home when a wildlife officer rang her doorbell Monday morning to inform her “there’s a lion in your backyard,” as she told the Washington Post.
She and her husband watched from the window as a group of officers cautiously approached the animal in the bushes, subdued him with a tranquilizer gun, checked his teeth and temperature, carried him via tarp into a container and drove away, all in roughly 40 minutes.
“P-22 is a kind of an Angeleno himself, so our neighbors were concerned about it and watched the thing,” she told the NY Times.
Beth Pratt, the California executive director for the National Wildlife Federation, tweeted that she cried “tears of relief” when she heard P-22 had been safely captured, emphasizing that he was brought in “quickly and humanely.”
“P-22 means so much to so many,” she added. There is a team that is dedicated to his safe keeping and making sure he has the best options available for this next phase of his journey.
The wildlife agencies said they had transported him to a wild animal care facility for a full health evaluation, where an initial assessment found him to be in stable condition. Agencies are working to find the ” most humane option” for the lion and his community, as he is undergoing additional veterinary evaluation.
“CDFW veterinarians and NPS biologists will determine the best next steps for the animal while also prioritizing the safety of the surrounding communities,” they said. “CDFW and NPS have already been in contact with leading institutions for animal care and rehabilitation centers.”
They noted “how many people are concerned about mountain lions, their conservation and P-22 in particular,” and promised to provide more updates as they have them.
The victim of a mountain lion disappears in a snow-capped area west of Nathrop: The Colorado Parks and Wildlife agency identifies the animal
The victim said he felt something grab his head while he was in the hot tub with his wife on March 18. They were staying at a rental house in a wooded area five miles west of Nathrop.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed to CNN that the mountain lion hasn’t been found. The agency is asking for the public’s help in finding the mountain lions.
They called the owner of the rental property, who coincidentally happened to be an employee of Colorado Parks and Wildlife and alerted officers who came to the scene.
The victim had minor scratches on the top of his head and declined medical assistance. The officers confirmed that the scratches were from a mountain lion.
Officers immediately began searching for the big cat, according to the release. But “no mountain lion tracks could be found due to the freezing temperatures and frozen snow on the ground,” said the agency. They sat traps nearby the rental property.
Estimates place the mountain lion population in Colorado at anywhere between 3,000 and 7,000 cats, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Large herbivores like deer and elk are killed by the elusive predator, which usually avoids humans. Adult males can be up to 8 feet in length and weigh an average of 150 pounds.