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.
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.
Photos: Griffith Park's Mountain Lion Is Looking Majestic Once Again After Being Sickly
Griffith Park's mountain lion, dubbed P-22, has had quite a journey over the past year. Ever since a National Geographic photographer snapped stunning photos of the cougar walking in front of the Hollywood Sign last year, we've been keeping a watchful eye on this guy. Things weren't looking so good for the mountain lion as P-22 was found sickened with mange and rat poison in March, but new photos released today show that he's looking healthy and back to his majestic self again.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area biologist Jeff Sikich set up a camera that could be remotely triggered on Nov. 21 in Griffith Park near a deer P-22 had killed. Sikich took these snapshots of the mountain lion coming back and forth to the deer over a period of four days to feed on it. P-22's been mostly eating mule deer—the natural prey of choice in the area—but occasionally eats coyotes and raccoons.
National Park Service researchers have been studying P-22 ever since they caught him and put a GPS collar on him in March 2012. Earlier this year, they discovered he was suffering from mange—a parasitic disease of the hair and skin—and after doing some tests, found he had traces of rat poison in his body. They treated him with selamectin, a topical treatment, and it looks like it worked!
“He looks healthy and has a full belly,” Sikich said in a statement. “Based on the number of photos, the multiple angles and the clarity, this is the best indication we’ve had that P-22 appears to have recovered. With these high resolution photos I can zoom in and investigate for signs of mange around the back of his ears and top of his head, which is usually where it first develops.”
Support for LAist comes from
However, unless they re-capture P-22 and test his blood, they can't be completely certain to know how healthy he is.
Back in June, there were some videos showing P-22 on the road to recovery. However, Kate Kuykendall of the National Park Service told NBC Los Angeles then that "there’s nothing to say he can’t get mange or that he can’t be exposed to rat poisons again because nothing in his environment has changed."
Local wildlife experts have warned people that putting out bait traps with poison designed to kill rodents outside of their homes and businesses have consequences, like having the poison move up the food chain and affecting larger animals like mountain lions.
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
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The critical findings are part of long-awaited after-action report was released Thursday. It contains recommendations for increasing emergency staffing and updating old systems. -
Diving has changed, mountain biking has been added. Here's where to watch the Olympics in person in 2028. -
'A Great Day in the Stoke' is a free, daylong event in Orange County billed as 'the largest gathering of Black surfers in history.' The fourth annual festival is set for Saturday in Huntington Beach. -
Kimmel returned less than a week after ABC suspended his show over comments he made about the assassination of right wing activist Charlie Kirk. -
Southern California might see some light rain tonight into Wednesday morning. After that, cooler weather is on the way, but expect the humidity to remain. -
A gate tax at Disney? It's a possibility.
Best of LAist