The mountain lion known as P-22 became an enduring symbol for wildlife conservation in Los Angeles after his death in 2022. (photo by Patrick Churvis)

Visitors to Griffith Park will soon come face-to-face with Southern California’s apex predator, a life-sized bronze statue of the beloved mountain lion P-22.

The National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign, Friends of Griffith Park, the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman, 4th District, selected artist Adam Matano to create the sculpture of the famed mountain lion, which became known for roaming the park near the Hollywood Sign before his death in 2022.

“We received so many incredible submissions in response to our artist’s call to design a permanent sculpture in memory of our dearly departed king, P-22,” Raman said. “However, one proposal stood above the rest and we are thrilled to announce local artist Adam Matano has been selected to bring his rendering to life. Showcasing P-22 bridging both the natural and man-made world, and navigating the space and dangers in between – Matano’s design is a beautiful ode to the improbable life led by our beloved mountain lion.”

“When I first encountered P-22’s story, I saw a creature that, despite being an outsider in a human-dominated world, had found a space to carve out his own existence,” Matano said. “There’s something moving about his quiet defiance in the face of overwhelming odds, and this has fueled my desire to capture not only the physicality of the animals but also their emotional essence.”

For Beth Pratt, California regional executive director for the National Wildlife Federation and one of P-22’s most prominent advocates, creating a permanent memorial became a priority after the mountain lion’s death.

She said the enormous public response to P-22’s death, including a celebration of life at the Greek Theatre, demonstrated how deeply the animal had connected with people in Los Angeles and beyond.

“A lot of us were saying, ‘Hey, we need something permanent for people to be able to connect with this cat and celebrate his life,’” Pratt said.

Pratt and Friends of Griffith Park began discussing the possibility of a permanent memorial, eventually joining with Raman’s office and the Department of Recreation and Parks on the project. An artist call produced numerous proposals, but Pratt said Matano’s stood out not only for its design but for his personal connection to P-22. Matano had previously exhibited work at P-22 Day while the mountain lion was still alive.

“He really captured the soul and spirit of P-22 and what P-22 represented,” Pratt said.

The project has been fully funded through a donation from philanthropist Joan Randall and her late husband, Frank, and the sculpture is now being produced, Pratt said.

The statue is expected to be installed near the Griffith Park Visitor Center on Crystal Springs Drive. Friends of Griffith Park Executive Director Jason Greenwald said the site will give visitors another way to consider not only P-22’s life, but the relationship between Los Angeles and the wildlife that lives within it.

“P-22 was so beloved by so many people and also represented so many different things to so many people,” Greenwald said. “Having an opportunity to have this wonderful statue in the park, so that people can engage both with the statue as a work of art and also as an opportunity to reflect on P-22 as well as the broader themes of urban wilderness, our relationship to nature – it’s such a wonderful opportunity for the city, for the park and for everyone who visits.”

Friends of Griffith Park Board Member Lucy Gonzalez said the story of P-22 offered a reminder that wildlife and the city are not as separate as they can sometimes seem.

“It is an amazing thing that he was there for so long and really emphasized that we are living in nature,” Gonzalez said. “Sometimes we try to ignore it, but it’s there. It’s all around us.”

The sculpture is tentatively expected to be installed in spring 2027, although organizers said the exact date will depend on the lengthy process of turning Matano’s work into a finished bronze statue. Greenwald said the initial clay work has been completed, but the sculpture still must go through molding, foundry and casting work. Organizers plan to hold a public celebration when the sculpture is installed.

Pratt said the memorial will represent Angelenos’ willingness to live alongside native wildlife, and stand as a testament to conservation efforts the mountain lion inspired.

“I think the statue represents not just that we loved P-22 and that we loved that he was a wild creature in the most improbable places,” Pratt said. “He was kind of the underdog, but that love turned to action.”

Pratt said P-22’s legacy shaped efforts to protect mountain lions and other wildlife from the dangers posed by the fragmented Southern California landscape – including the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing set to open over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills on Dec. 2.

“For me, he’s a conservation hero,” Pratt said. “He meant so much to so many, and I think that’s what the statue symbolizes.”

The bronze P-22 statue is currently being created by artist Adam Matano. (photo by Patrick Churvis)