P-22, who was photographed in 2014 in Griffith Park near downtown Los Angeles, was euthanized, officials said Saturday.
US National Park Service, via AP
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US National Park Service, via AP
P-22, who was photographed in 2014 in Griffith Park near downtown Los Angeles, was euthanized, officials said Saturday.
US National Park Service, via AP
For years, the presence of a wild mountain lion in metropolitan Los Angeles has attracted the attention — and adoration — of city residents. But his story ended tragically on Saturday.
Wildlife officials euthanized the animal, dubbed P-22, after discovering he was suffering from medical problems — and injuries sustained when a vehicle hit him.
The 12-year-old “Hollywood Cat” debuted in 2012 after completing a dangerous trek down the Santa Monica Mountains that included crossing two major LA freeways. According to the National Park Service.
He became a local celebrity after residents spotted him near the Hollywood sign. Sickened by rat poison And Hiding under an LA house. The P-22 had been lurking freely in Griffith Park for several years before authorities announced their decision to seize it on December 8.
After receiving reports that P-22 continued to appear dangerously close to human settlements, it may later become distressed. Killing a bound pet in November, and reports that a vehicle had hit him, officers were successful Monday captured the lion.
On Saturday, the medical team at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said they had completed a medical examination on P-22 and recommended euthanasia.
“The results of these tests and screenings showed significant trauma to the mountain lion’s head, right eye and internal organs, confirming the suspicion of a recent injury such as a vehicle strike,” CDFW officials said in a statement. Press release announcing the result. “The trauma to his internal organs will require invasive surgery.”
The medical panel also cited the animal’s advanced age and pre-existing ailments including extensive parasitic skin infections, arthritis and irreversible kidney disease in its decision to euthanize the lion.
Officials said they were not looking for information on who attacked the P-22.
“This situation was not P-22’s fault, or the fault of a driver who struck him,” CDFW officials said in the release. “Rather, it’s a phenomenon arising from habitat loss and fragmentation, and it underscores the need for thoughtfully constructed wildlife crossings and well-planned spaces.”
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