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Discussion thread — P:22: The Life & Death of a Hollywood Puma (Patreon)

Published:
2022-12-24 02:35:27
Imported:
2026-06

Content

Welp, this episode took a few extra days but I promise it’s worth the wait. Thank you, my dear Patrons, for being so supportive and patient.

So I was working on a different episode and then on Saturday the news broke that a beloved and rare urban mountain lion, P-22, had died. So we scrambled and I got a chance to talk with THE wildlife biologist who discovered P-22 (Miguel Ordeñana) as well as the leader of the #SaveLACougars movement, Beth Pratt.

We talk about: P-22’s life in a giant city park, how he captured the world’s love, the scandals, the sightings, the stories, the challenges he overcame… and the ones he didn’t.

I hope you enjoy his story, and share it with anyone curious about why this cougar matters.

How many of y’all had heard of P-22 before this episode? I’m so curious!

And happy holidays, folks! I feel like I must be hanging out with you as you wrap gifts and baste turkeys and I’m honored, Patrons.

Okay, enjoy the dingdang show.

RIP-22,

Ol’ Pops VonPodward

Files

P-22: The Life & Death of an L.A. Cougar with Miguel Ordeñana & Beth Pratt - alie ward

Very special episode for a very special cat. The day after the legendary Los Angeles mountain lion P-22 took his last breath, we talked with Natural History Museum wildlife biologist Miguel Ordeñana about his decade-long study of P-22 after discovering him in Griffith Park. Beth Pratt of #SaveLACoug

Comments

Bee

I've loved P22 for a very long time and look forward to this episode. Thank you.

Teesha Coot

I listened to that last night. (Aussie time about 1030pm) it made me tear up a little. So heart felt. Another amazing episode. Good job, Mr DadPod Ward

Sarah

As someone living in MN who has never heard of P-22 before, this one was surprisingly emotional! I am sad to have not known of him while he was alive. Rest easy, P-22.

Kimberly Peck

I am on the east coast and never visited LA or had heard of P-22. But I really enjoyed this episode and got misty eyed a few times hearing about how remarkable and loved he was.

Tannis Baker

I’m looking forward to listening! (As always.) I’m in Canada but read a piece about the “island” in the New Yorker years ago and was fascinated and saddened. Also, I am a supporter of the Yellowstone to Yukon Initiative which is working towards creating continental connectivity. They are huge proponents of crucial wildlife crossings.

Vivus Ignis

I have been watching P-22 since he became public and was very sad to see that he had passed. But it was consoling to see that you took the time and care to make this episode. I haven't had the chance to listen yet but it is top of the list. GNU P-22, mind how you go <3

Kinkaid Designs

I'd heard of him. I'm looking forward to learning more from the episode.

Sonny Pellersels

Thank you for covering this Ol’Man. I am a major wildlife advocate trying to figure out our Urban Bear issue in a place that has no resources for them and no idea where to find it. Cheers to the next Great Journey P-22 and cheers to every single soul that serve their needs and well being. We need every single one of you and more to keep some kind of balance in place.

Anna Thompson

99% Invisible did an episode just a few weeks ago on P-22 and the wildlife crossing so the whole series of events seemed oddly timely to me. The episode was a lovely tribute

Between Dumplings

I could not finish the episode. I was so moved by the dedicated biologists who were tracking this uber-survivor. I just couldn't weep at the gym (again).

Diana Teeter

That’s how I learned about P-22!

kozyndan

Its so sad! My wife and I knew of him well, and had been following his exploits since at least 2017 (when we did a massive painting of him for one of our exhibitions in LA depicting one of his supposed exploits - breaking into the LA Zoo to nab a koala for a meal). As a native Angeleno, P22 really epitomized the uniqueness of the city to me - the strange mesh of urban sprawl, true wilderness, gritty survivalism, and glitz and glamour! I hope that meaningful changes can be made in urban planning to give the remaining lions a chance to thrive.

Michael in Seattle

Great episode ... thank you. Most people don't even know about the Park. Love the interviews you obtained.

Adam T. Berns

Never heard of P-22 before this, but that isn't entirely surprising since I don't live in/near California, and don't really pay much attention to what goes in in LA aside from the occasional blockbuster movie. It's sad because these beautiful big cats are so misunderstood and often vilified. In my own state of Michigan, the DNR doesn't even like to acknowledge suspected sightings, let alone confirmed sightings, in the lower peninsula. Unless/until there's overwhelming physical and/or photographic proof, their standard M.O. is deny, deny, DENY, and even if they acknowledge there really WAS, they're sure to obfuscate and at least say it's no longer in the area it was seen.

John Worster

I had never heard about P-22 before. However I do live in Nebraska, so it's understandable that the news here wouldn't cover it. I have a Mountain Lion speciality plate on my car, the proceeds go to Mountain Lion conservation.

Omennik

I lived in the Highland Park area of LA for a while, and always enjoyed the many fire trails I used as hiking trails, where I would see quite the variety of wildlife, and had coyotes who would trot past my house many an evening. P-22 made his appearance shortly after I moved out of the area, but I do remember mountain lion caution signs at many of the areas I frequented. I often wondered how they would have handled it if P-22 had been a female who brought cubs into the mix. LA is a massive city, but was quite unique in that it was easy to get away from it all, being that much of surrounding land is too steep to build on, so one could find a beautiful secluded walk just minutes from your home, and a place for wildlife to still live. Crossing my fingers for more wildlife crossings.

Kyla C (KAI-luh, rhymes with Myra or Lyla)

I had never heard of P-22 before hearing the news of his death and of course I wept immediately. Thank you for this lovely tribute episode 🧡 He was such a good boy.

Erin Sorensen

Yes! Have lived in LA for over 20 years and read/heard about P-22 a lot. RIP sweet boy!

Bryant Bainbridge

Wandered solo for a dozen years, skirting the edge of all things non-cougar. I hope you get a chance to touch on the topic of fractured biomes and what it means to be a P:22 roaming just a slice of your intended motherland.

Sleepy John

Just listened to the 'Cougar Town' episode of '99% Invisible' two weeks ago, sorry to hear of the loss.

Average_pi

Me too. Rip p-22 you changed the world.

Loren R.

I'd heard of P-22 only recently when they were planning to capture and evaluate. I'd love an episode similar to this but about OR-93, the wolf from the White River pack who traveled south into California and was killed by vehicle strike in Kern County.

Bianca Estrada

I had been following P-22 for the last year or so, and would get really get excited whenever an article would give an update, or he was spotted on someone’s ring camera. When I got the LA Times notification at work that he had to be euthanized I hid in one of our storage rooms and teared up a little. I’m glad one of my favorite podcasts is covering his story. 🫶🏽

Barbara Sand

Hi there! First question asker here &I have been a huge fan ages! So, (as a structural engineer) I have a couple of questions: are jaguars the pumas of EuroAsia? (As in similar genetically?) only asking, because jaguars can look so differently, but sometimes similar to pumas). However, I am curious, is there is any structural dna difference in them, and if so, why? Where did they evolve as species from? Was it the same geographical place (basing it on Darwin’s evolution theory)? Or is just a random coincidence that multiple feline species evolved similarly in different places?

Karyn Molines

I heard about P-022 when researching wildlife crossings and found a reference that described the tracking efforts. A sincere thank you for this episode that brought tears, frustration at human impacts on habitats, and a hope for better outcomes for all wildlife.

Don Nelson

As a life long lover of cougars, this was the first I'd heard of him. What a great and heart rending story. Thanks, Alie, for giving him immortal life.

Spencer Parks

I just finished listening and I think you said that in her eulogy she wrote that we failed P-22 but I don't think that's the case at all. We humans have clearly done a lot because of P-22 and I believe he lived his purpose. He did what we came here to do and lived a long life doing it. It would've been great to have him longer but it seems like it was his time to go. He sparked changed. And that's amazing.

William Andrews

Science Friday also had a piece about the crossing in the last 2 weeks or so.

William Andrews

I have worked in Griffith Park in varying amounts since the mid 1990's. From late 2000 to the end of 2008, my office was deep in the park. I continue to work there (was in the park 3 times last week.) I have seen deer that P-22 had taken down and were in various states of having been eaten. Prior to P-22 arriving there was credible evidence of one or more mountain lions having been in the park. But, as was pointed out in the show, this was before the prevalence of home security cameras and personal trail cameras. Someone who I worked with who worked in park fulltime for ~20 years (1990's through 2015 or so) saw a mountain lion in the 1990's. The size of the cat and the tail made it unmistakable. A coworker who used to work for Rec & Park in Griffith Park in the 1990s until the 2010's said that they would get calls from hikers of dead deer (partially eaten) on trails. They would drag them off the trails. In a couple of days the bulk of the meat was gone. Prior to P-22 arriving in the park I haven seen tracks that looked like big cat tracks. (Not bobcat sized. I have seen and photographed bobcats in the park.) Coyotes in LA City parks are a thing. I have had people report them to me. But, unless they are close to or interacting with people, they are a non-issue. I have called Animal Control about one in Elysian Park that had a tracking collar on and was acting too bold around people. I remember that there were hopes that during "Carmeggedon" on the 405, that some animals would take the chance to cross the highway. (BTW, Carmeggedon existed as the name of a video game well before the 405 shutdown.) Hopefully more of the improvements/restoration happening along the Los Angeles River will make it more of a wildlife corridor in the future. The delay in getting out the episode was totally understandable. It was a much appreciated episode.

Kile Mullen

I've followed the saga of P-22 since he was discovered. I was highly amused that he introduced himself to the world in the most catlike way possible, by showing us his butt. 😄

The Motley Lion

The soon to be wildlife corridor should be named the P22. Fitting for LA and a great tribute to a legend.

Rae (edited)

Comment edits

2026-09-06 05:00 Yes! I actually got to meet him up close one night 10+ years ago walking from the Greek theater to the observatory - he was completely silently keeping pace with me in some brush just 5 yards up an embankment! He seemed curious and not predatory (and he'd already had opportunity to pounce) so I started talking to him loudly while I slowly angled to the other side of the road to give him as much distance as possible, and after another minute or two he disappeared into the brush. I tried to tell people because that was way too close and could've gone badly if I'd had a small child or small dog or panicked and forgot or didn't know what to do, and also because seeing a mountain lion was COOL, but I got the same reaction than Miguel and Beth described: "You're probably mistaken, there's no way there's a mountain lion in the park, it's too small, if there was one there we'd KNOW!" Then a short time later, when he hit the news I felt so validated! I even have a t-shirt with him on it now!
2022-12-25 22:21

Ren

This episode got me so emotional about the impact we're having on our non-human neighbors, ugh. Here in Chicago we had a similar story of endangered piping plovers who came and nested on our beach on Lake Michigan for several years. There are only ~70 remaining piping plovers that use the great lakes to nest, so it was huge when they successfully fledged chicks, went their separate ways to different states to overwinter, and then arrived BACK at their old nest site in Chicago within a day of each other for multiple years. We had a big heartbreak this season when Monty, the male, returned to the nest site but his mate, Rose, never showed up. Monty passed away near his nest site this past season - a friend of mine was monitoring the site when he collapsed. It was amazing to see our community rally around these lil endangered birds, and a huge portion of one of the city's most popular public beaches is now protected as an Important Bird Site and is monitored by state DNR! These lil birds did more to create new spaces for conservation on the city's lakefront than anyone else has for years. The protected area is part of a larger preserve area that is starting to naturally rebuild its original dune structures without any human interference, which had previously been demolished during army corp of engineer construction projects. Anyways, wanted to share our own lil conservation advocates. https://www.chicagopipingplovers.org/

Katie Murray

I had not heard of p-22 till I was today years old

WiGeekMom

Listened to this episode on the way to the in-laws yesterday for Christmas dinner. Got to the eulogy right as we got off the expressway in the Milwaukee subarbs. A coyote crossed the busy county highway right about the same time. It was beautiful.

Morgan

While I'd never heard of P-22 or his story before his death, I'm lucky enough to work with a pair of captive cougars. They're also getting quite old, at 14 and a half, so this has been a wonderfully cathartic episode while I'm anticipating losing my friends within the next year or two. Thank you

Susan G

I live in Australia, and had never heard of P-22 until people started posting about his death. Thank you for this episode, for telling me about him and honouring him in such a beautiful way. Also, I would 100% talk to you if you came up to me in the street for a science podcast.

Stephanie Schmid-Falcon

I’d never heard of P22, but I live in El Paso, TX where we occasionally have a mountain lion wander into the city from the Franklin Mountains. It ended badly for at least one of them, unfortunately, after she ran through the playground of an elementary school during recess (no humans were harmed). Years later a local nonprofit decided to bring artist Bordalo II to El Paso to create a mural as part of his “big trash animals” series, and he chose a mountain lion for our city. We now have a beautiful mountain lion made of discarded plastic on the side of one of our buildings downtown. I hope it makes people stop to think about our impact on the creatures that were here before us, and I know that’s the artist’s intention as well. Here’s an article about it: https://www.elpasoinc.com/lifestyle/local_features/portuguese-artist-crafts-trash-into-64-foot-mountain-lion-mural-in-downtown-el-paso/article_af7ae96a-254f-11ed-ada9-bb114e45c444.html

Wendy Lockhart

Thank you so much for this beautiful, bittersweet tribute. It was especially moving for me, as Salem the Mountain Lion at the Living Desert (2 hours east of LA), was also put to sleep in I think the same day as P-22. She was, at 18, one of the oldest mountain lions in captivity and quite a special lady. I did a tribute to her on my IG page, Wendy.lockhart14

Wendy Lockhart

Also, how did people not recognize you? I would have been peeing my pants with excitement to meet you!

Ali M

Totally agree :)

Ali M

Me too, I would to meet

Ali M

...Allie! Pressed enter too soon, doh.

Lea M.

I've heard of P22 before this episode...There was a NatGeo episode about animals living in Urban areas. On TikTok, there is a fellow that does La in a Minute...he was the one that broke the sad news to me. It took me a long time to listen to the podcast as I kept weeping. I am so thankful for you Alie..you are an amazing human and you did a GREAT job on this podcast. I would love to meet Beth ...she loved him so much and her eulogy..ugh I can't even..... We need to be the voice for all the animals!!!!

Alie Ward

These are all great questions and I hope to do a Big Cats episode in the future that is more globally focused!

Alie Ward

Wow, thank you both for these stories and comments! Rae, which trail did you see it on? That's amazing.

Alie Ward

Wow! I know those trails so well!

Alie Ward

Aww, thank you for this! RIP Monty 💖💖💖

Alie Ward

THANK YOU!! That was a rough night on a cold street corner

Alie Ward

The same day?? Oh my word, thank you for telling me about her!

Alie Ward

One person (the one who mentioned the NHM exhibit) did recognize me and we had a great moment, but I didn't want to seem self-indulgent including it. Also I was shrieking "no waaaaay" a lot

Alie Ward

Thank you so so much -- swear to frog, it was the hardest episode (technically speaking) that we have ever made. It took about 5x as much labor as usual, so we were BEAT when it was finally finished. So glad it resonated and it feels so worth it. 💖💖💖💖

Barbara Sand

So no answer yet! Damn! I really hoped someone can answer my dumb questions! But I do appreciate you’ll keep it in mind! So I don’t feel bad for asking silly questions😅

Paige

As an 19 year old born and raised in Iowa, I had never heard of P-22. But through this episode I found myself falling in love with him, laughing, and grieving him all in about an hour. What a beautiful inspirational story of how Wildlife is surrounding us at all times. This is their home. Rest in peace P 🫶🏻