California

5 Days and 50 Miles: Why One Woman is Retracing the Steps of a Mountain Lion

Beth Pratt hopes her hike will bring attention to the plight of LA's mountain lions and their need for a wildlife crossing.

Editor's Note: This article was updated with the video above Nov. 21 2019, which shows Beth Pratt's journey.

For years, Beth Pratt has been working with government officials, industry, and the local community to build a bridge that could save Los Angeles' mountain lions from the grim future that their population currently face.

On Tuesday, she will walk in their footsteps. 

Pratt, who is the California director for The National Wildlife Federation, will lead a five-day hike that retraces the 50-mile path that a mountain lion named P-22 took when he left his birthplace in the Santa Monica Mountains to reach his current home in Griffith Park. The hike will kick off at the site of the proposed wildlife crossing -- the Liberty Canyon trailhead off the 101 Freeway in Agoura --where new design concept images of the wildlife crossing will be released for the first time. 

Her five-day journey will showcase two of the busiest freeways in America - both crossed by P-22 - and end when she finally arrives at family-friendly festival being thrown Saturday to celebrate P-22 in Griffith Park. 

Pratt will wear a mountain lion tracking collar during her journey. NBC4's Aliya Jasmine will be following along and sharing the adventure via our social media and digital platforms, be sure to follow along at: @nbcla 

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