Los Angeles’ most famous mountain lion, P-22, was euthanized six months ago due to a combination of incurable kidney disease, organ damage from a potential vehicle strike, and a debilitating skin infection, as stated in a report released on June 14th. Necropsy results confirmed the concerns of biologists, who had captured P-22 in December due to his erratic behavior. The National Park Service reported that P-22 would not have survived long in a wildlife sanctuary, as his kidney disease and hernia were severe.
According to Seth Riley, National Park Service wildlife ecologist and wildlife branch chief of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, P-22 would have required major surgery to repair the organ damage. Furthermore, his kidney disease was irreversible. Consequently, the decision was made to euthanize him on December 17, 2022. The National Park Service explained that P-22’s chronic conditions and injuries would have significantly impacted his quality of life if he had been placed in human care.
P-22, who lived in Griffith Park for 10 years, was at least 12 years old when he died, making him one of the oldest mountain lions tracked by National Park Service biologists. However, his age and the challenges of surviving in a limited urban space may have contributed to his decline. Towards the end of his life, P-22 began leaving the park and entering homes, even venturing into a Trader Joe’s store. Riley mentioned an incident where P-22 took a chihuahua from its owner, an unusual action for the typically reclusive animal. It is possible that P-22 was disoriented and too weak to hunt deer.
An eyewitness reported that P-22 was hit by a car the night before he was captured and treated. Although the necropsy revealed an eye orbital fracture and bleeding from the collision, it was deemed insignificant as P-22 was already recovering from the injury during the week he was cared for. The report suggested that his liver damage was most likely caused earlier, possibly from being hit by a car or kicked by a deer.
The postmortem report uncovered that P-22 was underweight, arthritic, and suffering from a severe parasitic infection called demodectic mange. He also had ringworm, conditions rarely seen in California mountain lions. The combination of these ailments may have weakened him further. Toxicology testing confirmed exposure to five anticoagulant compounds, suggesting secondary exposure from the prey he consumed, which had ingested rat poison.
Despite P-22’s physical condition, his story is bittersweet. Born in the Santa Monica Mountains, he crossed two busy freeways and became isolated in Griffith Park. While he rarely interacted with humans, avoiding the park’s busy areas, he was unable to produce offspring due to his limited habitat. P-22’s life was celebrated in a unique memorial event at the Greek Theatre, which included videos, songs, and testimonials emphasizing the importance of co-existing with wildlife in Los Angeles. He served as an ambassador for urban wildlife and contributed to scientific understanding of how mountain lions live alongside humans in complex urban landscapes, according to Jeff Sikich, lead field biologist of the NPS mountain lion study.
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