Steve Winter Reflects on P-22, Tiger Temple Exposure, and Wildlife Corridors in New Book

For over two decades, photojournalist Steve Winter has documented the lives of big cats globally for National Geographic. Despite beginning his professional wildlife photography career at age 34, Winter has become a pivotal figure in conservation, helping to reshape U.S. laws regarding big cats and exposing the abuses at Thailand’s Tiger Temple. In his upcoming 2026 book, “Big Cats,” co-authored with his wife, environmental journalist Sharon Guynup, Winter offers a retrospective on these efforts and the ongoing challenges facing predators worldwide.

Winter’s most celebrated image features the cougar known as P-22 beneath the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles. The photograph played a crucial role in galvanizing public support for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, a massive highway overpass over Highway 101 set to open in December 2026. “I’ve never seen a city be transformed in their love for the fact that they have a mountain lion in a park in the city,” Winter told Live Science. The image is now the centerpiece of a permanent exhibit at the LA Natural History Museum, and schools across the region incorporate urban wildlife lessons inspired by the cougar’s story.

The iconic shot came eight months after Winter asked National Park Service biologist Jeff Sikich about locating trails in Griffith Park with city lights in the background. Although Sikich initially doubted any cougars existed in the area, a trail camera trap designed for bobcats eventually captured P-22, who had been collared for GPS monitoring. Winter emphasizes the importance of camera traps, recalling an early assignment in Guatemala where he photographed quetzals. During that trip, he was startled by nighttime noises outside his bunk bed, only to learn from his naturalist guide that a black jaguar had been visiting without alarming him intentionally.

Winter and Guynup also detailed the operations of the Tiger Temple in Bangkok, a Buddhist monastery that generated millions annually through tiger tourism. Winter recalls being warned by scientists not to visit due to suspicions of black-market trade, which prompted him to investigate further. He observed inconsistencies in the temple’s claims, noting that constant cub breeding for selfies would naturally produce more tigers than reported. The resulting investigation, amplified by media coverage and Sharon Guynup’s reporting, led to public outrage and a government raid. Authorities discovered horrific conditions, including tiger parts stored in freezers and jars, leading to the temple’s closure.

Following the Tiger Temple exposé, the couple examined the legal yet problematic industry of captive tigers in the United States. Their reporting contributed to the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act, signed by President Biden in December 2022, which banned the private ownership and trading of big cats for entertainment. Winter also highlighted advances in conservation science, particularly the concept of wildlife corridors pioneered by figures like Alan Rabinowitz and George Schaller. These connectivity projects aim to reconnect fragmented habitats blocked by infrastructure.

Reflecting on the future, Winter expressed optimism for LA’s wildlife. With the new crossing under construction, cougars in the Santa Monica Mountains will soon have a safe path to connect with populations as far north as San Jose, marking a significant victory for urban coexistence and conservation.