A mountain lion who has become a local celebrity in the Los Angeles hills has been euthanized after dangerous changes in his behavior led to tests that revealed worsening health and injuries likely caused by a car.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said the decision to euthanize the big cat, known as P-22, was made after veterinarians determined it had a fractured skull and chronic illnesses, including a skin infection. and kidney and liver diseases.
“His prognosis was considered poor,” said agency director Chuck Bonham, who fought back tears during a news conference announcing the cougar’s death. “This really hurts…it’s been an incredibly difficult few days.”
P-22 had been reassured earlier this week in the backyard of a Los Feliz neighborhood near Griffith Park after authorities located the animal using its GPS-connected collar following an anonymous report that the big cat had been struck by a car.
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This photo provided by the US National Park Service shows a mountain lion known as P-22, photographed in the Griffith Park area near downtown Los Angeles.
(US National Park Service, via AP, File)
“CDFW veterinarians and NPS biologists will determine the best next steps for the animal while prioritizing the safety of the surrounding communities,” California fish and wildlife authorities said at the time of the capture.
State authorities determined that the only likely options were euthanasia or confinement in an animal sanctuary, a difficult prospect for a wild lion.
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This photo provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) shows a mountain lion, known as P-22, being transported to a wildlife care center for a full health evaluation on Monday, December 12, 2022.
(California Department of Fish and Wildlife, via AP, File)
Authorities said the cougar, believed to be 12 years old, longer than most wild male cougars, lost around 20% of its body weight and was diagnosed with kidney failure, liver disease, heart disease and a ” rare parasitic infection.
“I had moments of hope,” said Chuck Bonham, director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We tried our best and there were times when I thought we would make it.”
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P-22, born in the western Santa Monica Mountains, became a common sighting in the Griffith Park area of Los Angeles over the years and was affectionately known as the “Hollywood Cat” despite being involved in multiple attacks on small dogs in the area.
The animal became the face of a campaign to build a wildlife crossing over a Los Angeles-area freeway to give mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, deer and other animals a safe path through the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. and the wilds of the north.
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This pair of photos provided by the National Park Service shows the southern California cougar known as P-22, on the left, in March 2014 suffering from mange, and on the right in December 2015, with no lesions or scabs.
(National Park Service via AP, File)
“The survival of the P-22 on a wild island in the heart of Los Angeles captivated people around the world and reinvigorated efforts to protect our diverse native species and ecosystems,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said Saturday in a statement.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
