Coyotes, Cougars, Californians

At the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, historical habitat dioramas depict native predators as inhabitants of remote environments. In exhibits created in the 21st century, these same species are displayed as established residents of the city, naturalizing the presence of urban wildlife. Drawing on archival research, the history of predator control programs, studies of urban wildlife, and critical literature on taxidermy, this essay contextualizes cougar and coyote dioramas crafted in the 1930s and 1950s. It then considers more recently crafted displays, including “L.A.’s Backyard,” a diorama featuring a coyote and a housecat, and The Story of P-22, which focuses on an iconic L.A. cougar to highlight how urbanization impacts the survival of wildlife. By focusing on the display of species that are native to the region and attending to how display practices have changed over time, this study traces how habitat dioramas establish and redraw boundaries of belonging.