Biologists Seek to Recapture Griffith Park Mountain Lion

Griffith Park's mountain lion needs a new GPS device.

The 3-year-old male known as P-22 was captured and fit with a locator collar earlier this year, but it has since gone dead.

Biologists have tracked the mountain lion using radio frequencies from the collar, but he has proven to be elusive. They are hoping to lure the animal with a frozen deer carcas set out on Monday, reports the L.A. Times.

The big cat is believed to have traveled up to 20 miles from points farther west in the Santa Monica Mountains, somehow getting over, under or across the Hollywood (101) and San Diego (405) freeways to make its home in the eight-square-mile park, The Times reported.

After it was photographed, National Park Service Biologist Jeff Sikich captured the animal in a trap, sedated it, took samples and measurements and fitted it with a radio/GPS collar so it could be tracked. 

The animal is thought to be related to a coastal mountain group of lions, according to preliminary genetic tests, The Times reported.

Sikich expects the cat will eventually seek a mate, possibly causing it to leave the park.

"We're really interested in how he got there, how long he will stay and, if and when he chooses to leave, how he will cross these freeways," he told The Times.

Mountain lions are known to be solitary creatures and usually avoid human contact.

This was mentioned at the on Tuesday.

Read The Times story here.

— City News Service contributed to this report.