The #SaveLACougars Campaign, Friends of Griffith Park
and City of Los Angeles Partners
Have Selected Artist, Adam Matano
to Create the Memorial Sculpture of P-22.

LOS ANGELES (October 23, 2025) — The National Wildlife Federation’s #SaveLACougars campaign, Friends of Griffith Park, City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks and Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman – are excited to share that they have selected the artist that will create a sculpture of the remarkable P-22 mountain lion. The memorial will be installed in Griffith Park and invite communities to reflect on how the mountain lion’s legacy forever changed conservation in Los Angeles and around the world.

Artist Adam Matano, a Los Angeles based artist who specializes in sculpture, was selected from a pool of applicants. Along with submitting a powerful design that the selection committee felt provided a moving representation of the famous mountain lion that will invite people to both celebrate and contemplate their relationship with the cat, Adam’s art was also inspired by a special relationship with the cat.

“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,” said the artist. “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.”

Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation, was moved by Adam’s design. “He captured the soul of P-22, and the spirit of the cat who we all loved. Through Adam’s vision, P-22—an animal beloved across the globe who changed conservation and inspired the world’s largest wildlife crossing– will get the memorial he deserves, and all of us who had a special connection to the cat will have a place to reflect on his impact on our lives.”

“Adam’s proposal and qualifications, along with his formidable skills and authentic passion for his art, allowed us all to feel a genuine sense of excitement about placing P-22’s memorial sculpture in his hands.  We are confident that Adam’s vision will faithfully commemorate how P-22 became a beloved and revered icon for urban wildlife conservation and coexistence, a legacy that has and will endure for generations to come,” added Gerry Hans, President of Friends of Griffith Park.

“P-22’s story represents the resilience of wildlife and the importance of coexistence within an urban environment,” said Brenda Aguirre, Assistant General Manager, Department of Recreation and Parks. “This memorial will serve as a lasting tribute to his legacy and as an enduring reminder of the City’s commitment to preserving and protecting the natural habitats that make Los Angeles unique.”

“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,” said Councilmember Nithya Raman, who represents Griffith Park. “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.”

P-22’s miraculous journey across two of Los Angeles’ busiest freeways and his incredible story of survival in Griffith Park against all odds captured the imagination of Angelenos and people from all over the world. First discovered in 2012 by a wildlife connectivity study initiated by the nonprofit Friends of Griffith Park, P-22 inspired many to think about the importance of living alongside wildlife, and his plight ignited the #SaveLACougars campaign, and support for the building of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing. Wildlife crossings reconnect the fragmented habitats that mountain lions and other wildlife need to survive, especially in densely built, urban environments.

IF YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN DONATING TO THIS MEMORIAL, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Contacts:
Nadia Gonzalez, National Wildlife Federation at 310-409-8931 and nadia@puentestrategies.com
Rachel Schwartz for Friends of Griffith Park, 310-990-2764 or rachel@pr-a.biz