Puma Archives - Jimbolaya

Normally I don’t think of myself as kindred spirit to wildlife. But perhaps, especially this day after Earth Day, I should. Especially in regards to mountain lion P-22, we’ve got a lot in common.

People who know me realize I spend a lot of time in Griffith Park, and have for decades. One of the largest urban parks in the United States, it’s also mountainous and provides Angelenos with a wide variety of hiking options.

I do a good amount of my cardio there.

The Aging Bachelors of Griffith Park

So it’s no surprise to find out there’s another aging bachelor who’s roaming that expanse, except that he’s a cougar, a puma, a mountain lion!

Of course, I’ve known about P-22 for years. In fact, I wrote my city councilperson when I first heard of the big cat making his home in my park. I thought it was irresponsible that the city would allow this alpha predator wild animal to roam a public park. A park that was full of people day and night.

What kinds of havoc could P-22 be responsible for? This is a copy of my email from August 14, 2012:

Dear Councilmember Krekorian:

It was with great dismay that I read in today’s LA Times about the mountain lion that has been allowed to remain wild in Griffith Park.

I hike in Griffith Park, usually alone, usually about once a week and have since the 1980s. I do not believe this animal poses no danger to children, families, bicyclists and other hikers like myself.

While I’m all for protecting species, it’s one thing to protect habitat and quite another to allow a dangerous wild animal to live free in a park in the middle of a city of 4 million.

I urge that the City do whatever it is necessary to relocate this animal to a more appropriate wild environment.

So the good councilmember ignored my letter (never got a response either time I’ve emailed this unhelpful civil servant. The other letter was about speeders on Chandler Blvd. and the danger they present to pedestrians and cyclists).

P-22 has Turned Out to be a Reclusive Bachelor Indeed

The truth is that in the subsequent almost 10 years that P-22 had been calling Griffith Park home, I’ve never read of any untoward encounters he’s had with humans.

The blogger in Griffith Park last summer

I’ve never seen the cat. Which is not surprising since they are mainly nocturnal (I don’t ever hike at night) and take great pains not to be seen anyway. I hike only on wide trails or actual roads, to minimize any chance of running into him.

For a while I’d pick up a rock or a stick or something that could serve as a weapon just in case. I came to believe this was unnecessary, as P-22 seems to have had a good upbringing.

By that I mean he doesn’t consider humans to be food. Otherwise, we’d have plenty of evidence in a quite grisly form. So, kudos to P-1 and P-whoever was P-22’s mom.

Will P-22 finally leave the park to find a mate or will he live out his life there? I suspect the latter, and it makes me a little sad. I don’t have any plans to stop my own roaming in the park, partnered or not. I guess for now we’re just part of that distinguished gentlemen’s club that knows many of the secrets of Griffith Park.

See, P-22, we’ve got a lot in common.

My name, friend, is P-22

Not a very memorable name. I guess the “P” stands for puma, which is one of the things you can call him, as well as a cougar or a mountain lion.

In other words, a large (adult human-sized) feline predator with really big teeth that can run way faster than you ever hoped you could. P-22. The Puma in the Park.

And, now, he tweets: @P22MountainLion. Of course he does, this is Hollywood, in fact, his range includes the side of the mountain the Hollywood sign itself sits on. Sample (actually, I think it’s the first tweet): It’s pretty simple really. I’ve always wanted to use a telescope.

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! (ref for non-Angelenos: there’s a big famous Observatory in the Park)

A Sunday morning hike in Griffith Park

The news of P-22’s residence has kind of thrown me into a quandary. You see, Griffith Park has been a place I’ve gone to for respite from the city for over 30 years now. I’ve seen it through its crazy gay cruising days, its fires, my 10-K and marathon trainings, lots of bicycling and lately more leisurely hiking activity as befits a man with graying hair.
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Sometimes – and recently – we’re reminded of nefarious things going on in the huge park. Maybe it’s just me, but the idea of some quite evil murderer dropping off a severed head in the bushes is not in the same league as the thought of every step inside the park being stalked by a wild predator.

The powers that be (read link article from KPCC, also there’s a few Los Angeles Times stories) insist that mountain lions try to avoid people and will stay away from us. Besides, they’re nocturnal, and there’s few people in the park after dark – which is wise, because there are no lights in the hills and there’s lots of coyotes wandering around. Now there’s just another reason to avoid it after dark.

I suppose I will continue to go on my hikes. I will probably buy some pepper spray and take my pocket knife with me, because, well, you never know. I used to do quite a bit of hiking up Mt. San Jacinto above Palm Springs, and there were Mountain Lion signs all over the place. I asked the Rangers if it was anything to worry about and they said no. “We know they’re here, but in all my INSERT HUGE NUMBER HERE years working up here I’ve never seen one.

“Just stay on the trails.”

Right-o.

Other links: Cougar Info, LAist story on P-22