Famed Los Angeles mountain lion euthanized due to injuries, illness

LOS ANGELES, Dec 17 (Reuters) – A famed mountain lion who grew to become a Los Angeles celebrity after dwelling in the shadow of the Hollywood Hills for above a 10 years was euthanized on Saturday since of intense health and fitness issues, California officials announced.

The growing older mountain lion, known as P-22 and assumed to be about 12 a long time outdated, was captured in a Los Feliz yard on Monday amid fears he had been struck by a auto and was struggling other wellbeing complications.

The cat, who had traversed fast paced highways to just take up residence in and all around Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, became a image of strategies to preserve California’s threatened mountain lion inhabitants. He was place to rest at 9 a.m. on Saturday at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, officers at the California Division of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) claimed.

Checks on P-22 disclosed “considerable trauma to the mountain lion’s head, proper eye and internal organs, confirming the suspicion of new injuries, these as a car strike,” officials claimed.

The examination also uncovered irreversible kidney sickness, persistent excess weight reduction, intensive parasitic skin an infection above his whole system and localized arthritis, officers stated.

“Based on these components, compassionate euthanasia under normal anesthesia was unanimously proposed by the health care team at San Diego Zoo Safari Park,” the CDFW claimed.

Beth Pratt, a lifelong advocate for wildlife who had championed P-22 for a decade, posted a eulogy to the mountain lion on the National Wildlife Federation web site. She was with him when he died.

“I sat around him, looking into his eyes for a number of minutes, and advised him he was a great boy. I informed him how considerably I loved him,” Pratt wrote.

Pratt praised his “intrepid spirit, allure, and just basic chutzpah,” adding: “P-22’s journey to and everyday living in Griffith Park was a miracle. It’s my hope that potential mountain lions will be in a position to wander in the techniques of P-22 without risking their lives on California’s highways and streets.”

Officials explained P-22’s demise was triggered by habitat loss and fragmentation, and referred to as for the building of far more wildlife crossings in city parts and nicely-planned spaces for them to roam.

“Mountain lion P-22 has experienced an incredible lifetime and captured the hearts of the men and women of Los Angeles and beyond. The most tricky, but compassionate decision was to respectfully lessen his struggling and anxiety by humanely ending his journey,” the CDFW stated in a assertion.

Reporting by Tim Reid Enhancing by Chris Reese and Jonathan Oatis

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