Author: Beth Pratt-Bergstrom

Published by: National Wildlife Federation, 2016.

When P-22 passed away, I saw a copy of this book as a recommended reading. I had been reading several seed books in a roll and needed a break. Though this book does not directly involve gardening, it does contribute to the understanding of our ecosystem.

P-22 rose to fame when he was sighted around the hills of Los Angeles, a mountain lion that crossed two freeway systems to reach our urban parkland, Griffith Park. And this is where things get complicated. As promising as it is to have wildlife reappear in our area, it was equally discouraging to know that the odds of another mountain lion who could survive two freeway crossings, especially a female so they can mate, was very low.

P-22 lived out the rest of his life in solitude and the last few months of his life was not encouraging as he had several health issues as well as a possible vehicle strike. He lived to be 12 years old which by any standards, is a long life for a mountain lion. His plight caught the attention of Angelenos and inspired the construction of a wildlife crossing bridge.

While the title and cover and first chapter of the book pays homage to P-22, the mountain lion of Griffith Park, the book is mainly about the wildlife that has reentered our suburban and urban neighborhoods in California. Note: the copy of the book I read did not include the death of P-22 which occurred in 2023, but did include the significance of his appearance in Los Angeles.

There are chapters from this book detailing the resident foxes at Facebook and how the company has learned how to adapt to the foxes’ presence, including changing cooperate habits such as being quiet at certain areas and incorporating an educational wildlife segment for employees.

The story of the Harbor Porpoise in San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge was especially interesting to me as this was the first I have heard of them. And also, this was exciting as I had always wanted to walk the bridge (but I have a fear of heights) and now with the possibility of seeing the porpoises, it makes it more enticing.

There are also stories about wolves and bears, large creatures that as urbanization increases, it seems like it would be impossible for these creatures to habituate but if humans alter their behavior to become more wildlife friendly then, it is possible these animals can not only live here but stay wild. Sprinkled throughout the book are many short one page stories of urban and suburban encounters with wildlife. I enjoyed these short stories very much, concerning owls, sea lions, condors, butterflies, and bees.

There is a strong feeling of optimism in this book. While wildlife may still encounter difficulties in their survival, this book suggests that humans can help revert nature to something close to its natural habitat and that we can benefit from its presence.