For Beloved Mountain Lion, P-22 Celebration Of Life

The National Wildlife Federation's #SaveLACougars campaign hosted an unprecedented and inspiring "Celebration of Life for P-22" at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles. Close to six thousand people of all ages and from all over Los Angeles were there to see emotional tributes for the beloved P-22 mountain lion by indigenous voices, students, City of Los Angeles leaders, a virtual appearance from Governor Gavin Newsom, a live musical performance by The Tokens and special appearances by actor Rain Wilson, actor Julia Butters, and Diplo.

It was P-22's miraculous journey across two of Los Angeles' busiest freeways. His incredible story of survival against all odds captured the imagination of Angelenos—and people from all over the world—and gave life to the #SaveLACougars campaign that is now building the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. The crossing is slated for completion in 2025.

The project responds to two decades of National Park Service research and the need to create a vital connection for the endangered mountain lion population and other wildlife that make their home in the Santa Monica Mountains. In addition to saving the mountain lions from likely extinction, the crossing will reconnect a long-fragmented ecosystem for all wildlife in an area recognized as part of one of only thirty-six biodiversity hotspots worldwide.

To learn more about the Wildlife Crossing Fund, visit https:// p22legacy.org/

Reflecting the legacy of P-22 also launched, The Wildlife Crossing Fund. Led by the National Wildlife Federation's #SaveLACougars leader Beth Pratt, the fund aims to raise half a billion dollars from private philanthropy, leverage public dollars and accelerate the building of wildlife crossings worldwide. The idea for the Wildlife Crossing Fund and one of the founding partners for the effort is the visionary Wallis Annenberg, who today pledged the first 10 million for the fund. Other founding partners include the National Wildlife Federation, the California Natural Resources Agency, and Animal Road Crossings.

You can learn more about the #SaveLACougars campaign and its efforts in communities all over the Los Angeles area, and to follow progress on construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, visit https://savelacougars.org/ and https://101wildlifecrossing.org/

The National Wildlife Federation is America's largest conservation organization, with over 6 million supporters nationwide, uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrives in a rapidly changing world.