A puma spotted in Griffith Park gave hope. He is now believed to be dead

A mountain lion sighting on the outskirts of Griffith Park this spring sparked excitement — and concern — among Angelenos invested in the region's hulking animal population.

Would he stay and become a celebrity fan of puma P-22, which ruled the green in the center of Los Angeles for ten years?

Wildlife officials believe the lion was instead driven outside and killed by a car over the summer — another wild claim big cat fans fear will come true.

A red lion may have been the cat found dead on the 405 Freeway near the Getty Center on July 4, a National Park Service scientist told The Times.

The dead lion was found along the border on the north, or east, side of the busy freeway, suggesting it may have come from the east — where the Santa Monica Mountains run from the 405 to their eastern edge at Griffith Park — according to Seth Riley, the state's wildlife division chief. -Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, a unit of the park service.

“We'll never know for sure, will we? But it could have been,” said Riley.

Park biologist Jeff Sikich said it was “likely” the same lion.

For 22 years, the park service has studied mountain lions in and around Santa Monica. Sikich manages the project's field work and is considered an expert on lions in the region.

Vehicle strikes are the number one killer of mountain lions in the study. So far, at least 46 lions have died in traffic accidents, and the puma found dead on the 405 is the second highway fatality in the region in less than a month.

In mid-May, Hollywood Hills resident Vladimir Polumiskov captured video of the lion sitting on a low-angle stump in the northwest corner of the nearly 4,200-acre park.

Los Angeles does a double batch. It was amazing when the P-22 hunted in the urban wilderness 12 years ago. Getting to the park required crossing dangerous highways, and it is a small place by lion standards.

But he stayed there for ten years, until 2022, when he was caught and killed due to injuries and infection.

Now it seemed that a new puma was following in his footsteps. The young male dependent was not arrested and therefore could not be traced. But scientists were hoping to change that, and include him in their ongoing research.

The network of cameras that had been in operation when the P-22 roamed Griffith Park was activated again, and within a week photos were taken of what is believed to be the same lion, officials said.

Then the trail went cold. They never caught him on camera again.

Less than two months later, a lion that appeared to be the same age was found dead at 405.

The death of this lion shows the realization of the concerns expressed by many because of the dangers of the cities it faced. The headline of an editorial The Times published after his discovery summed it up: “Looks like there's a new mountain lion in Griffith Park.” Let's try not to kill him.”

Beth Pratt, the California regional director for the National Wildlife Federation, said she cried a little when she found out the lion might have been killed. Since then, he was worried about his safety.

“How was I, really? Poor guy,” said Pratt, who is a spokesman for the Southland Lions.

“Just goes to show how the P-22 beats the odds, doesn't it?” he said of a lion who achieved a position of influence during his lifetime – and beyond. He inspired a campaign to save local lions, and P-22 Day is celebrated every year in LA

IP-22 is thought to have risked life and limb to enter the park, crossing the 405 and 101 freeways. But when he came and was arrested, he did not leave.

A mountain lion found dead on the 405 Freeway near the Getty Center on July 4, pictured here, may have been a puma seen in Griffith Park a few weeks ago, officials said.

(KTLA)

Pratt believes the new cat was coming from the park.

“His luck will run out, which has happened, which is very sad,” he said.

Cars are a direct threat to pumas in the Santa Monica Mountains, and the highway system also isolates them from other lions.

Local cats have begun to show signs of inbreeding due to the absence of genetic variants, including a docked tail. Research has shown that they can end up in the area under the age of 50 if their condition does not improve.

Some see the massive wildlife crossing up the 101 freeway as an important way of life.

Lions – live only in the range bisecting the metropolitan area – could live on the endangered species list, along with many other families that have been cut off from the state.

In 2020, the California Fish and Game Commission made six lion families candidates for protection under the Endangered Species Act, and is expected to decide whether to list them permanently next year.