P22, Hollywood’s intrepid mountain lion that lives in Griffith Park, has survived against the odds.

He journeyed through the second largest city in America in search of a home, crossing two of the busiest freeways — the 405 and the 101 – in the country. Despite the average home range of a cougar being roughly 250 square miles, he makes do with only eight in a park surrounded on all sides by the city of Los Angeles.

And even though his small territory of Griffith Park is visited by ten million people annually, he has remained largely out of sight.

Test results received last week confirm that P-22 has been exposed to anti-coagulant rodenticide, commonly known as rat poison, and is suffering from mange. The National Park Service study has previously documented two mountain lion deaths as a result of rodenticide poisoning.

P-22 was captured in late March in order to replace the battery in his GPS collar. Noting his mangy appearance, biologists treated him with selamectin, a topical treatment for ectoparasitic diseases such as mange, fleas and ticks. Biologists hope the treatment is successful, but it remains unclear whether P-22 will fully recover.

Top photo by Steve Winter.
Via National Wildlife Federation.