SoCal’s most celebrated mountain lion, P-22, will be even more celebrated on Sunday, Oct. 22 with a festival taking place in the big cat’s hood, Griffith Park. Will the big cat be watching from a far-off perch? One can only hope.
P-22 Day is the culmination of a Urban Wildlife Week in Los Angeles and marks the end of the route where the crafty cougar, born in the Santa Monica Mountains, traversed freeways and urban streets to find a piece of wild territory he could call his own.
To commemorate the cat’s extraordinary journey, a group of intrepid hikers have been retracing (as best as possible) the steps P-22 took from the Santa Monicas that led him to Griffith Park; all in all, a 50-mile hike. On Sunday, the public is invited to join the hikers for the last ½ mile to the finish line, which kicks off the party near Shane’s Inspiration play area.
The hiker’s journey raises the importance of wildlife connectivity and the proposed wildlife corridor in Agoura Hills. When completed, that wildlife bridge will connect the Santa Monica Mountains to adjacent SoCal’s large open spaces. The end result? No more critters killed trying to cross the freeway and new potential mates for many critters – like mountain lions – that have been inbreeding for decades.
The festival will include live performances,ranger-led walks, wildlife expert talks, ranger-led walks and a demonstration on how to set-up a wildlife camera along with food trucks, exhibits and activities.
Party goers can try out a virtual reality experience of the wildlife crossing and the LA River, pose with P-22 in a photo booth and check out numerous other booths and exhibits set up amid the backdrop of Griffith Park.
Click here for more details.
