Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

P-55 Becomes First Mountain Lion To Make Two Documented Trips Across 101 Freeway

p55.jpg
Mountain lion P-55. (Photo courtesy of @SantaMonicaMtns)
()

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

As Alanis Morrissette said in her 2005 song "Wunderkind," some of us are destined to serve, while some are destined to roam. The latter certainly seems to apply to male mountain lion P-55, who crossed the 101 freeway last week for the second time in less than three months.

P-55 made his first venture across the 101 in August, reaching as far north as the Santa Susana Mountains. He crossed the same freeway once again sometime between 12 a.m. and 2 a.m. on Thursday morning, according to the National Parks Service (NPS). "We've never seen a mountain lion cross the 101 freeway twice," NPS spokesperson Kate Kuykendall told LAist on Tuesday.

It's believe that P-55 crossed the freeway (for the second time) over a fairly developed section just west of SR 23 in Thousand Oaks—Kuykendall says the NPS has never seen another collared animal cross through that area before. Mountain lion P-12 made it across the 101 once in 2009.

Support for LAist comes from

According to Kuykendall, P-55 is currently roaming the western end of the Santa Monica Mountains and is likely trying to stay out of the way of larger, dominant male mountain lions, as he is classified as a "sub-adult." (Same.)

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist