P-22 will never again thrill Angelenos by casually strolling through a Los Angeles neighborhood for a night out before returning to his Griffith Park home territory under the Hollywood sign. His forays into human-occupied territory recently become less glamorous and more threatening beginning in early November when he attacked and killed a leashed chihuahua being walked by someone in the Hollywood Hills. Other similar encounters, including minor attacks on the humans walking dogs, over the past month resulted in wildlife biologists capturing P-22 for assessment on Dec 12. His behavior was anomalous, a sign of ill health perhaps, or old age. P-22, believed to be about 12 years old, a long life for a mountain lion, has been collared and tracked by US Fish and Wildlife Service since 2012.
A medical examination revealed health problem and injuries from a vehicle accident. P-22 was severely underweight (90 lbs, about 25 lbs below normal), had a parasitic skin infection likely transmitted from domestic cats, kidney failure, and other significant problems. He was treated and held at a vet hospital while an expert wildlife health team assessed his condition and decided that euthanasia was the most humane option.
This mountain lion was world famous thanks to Beth Pratt, California Regional Executive Director of the National Wildlife Federation. Pratt labelled him the Brad Pitt of mountain lions, using his life situation and likeness to fuel a funding campaign for the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, the world’s largest spanning a 12-lane Los Angeles freeway.
In her eulogy, Pratt pointed out a problem faced by many wildlife species: “P-22 never fully got to be a mountain lion. His whole life, he suffered the consequences of trying to survive in unconnected space, right to the end when being hit by a car led to his tragic end. He showed people around the world that we need to ensure our roads, highways, and communities are better and safer when people and wildlife can freely travel to find food, shelter, and families.”
“We will all be grappling with the loss of P-22 for some time, trying to make sense of a Los Angeles without this magnificent wild creature. I loved P-22 and hold a deep respect for his intrepid spirit, charm, and just plain chutzpah. We may never see another mountain lion stroll down Sunset Boulevard or surprise customers outside the Los Feliz Trader Joe’s. But perhaps that doesn’t matter — what matters is P-22 showed us it’s possible.
“He changed us. He changed the way we look at LA. And his influencer status extended around the world, as he inspired millions of people to see wildlife as their neighbors. He made us more human, made us connect more to that wild place in ourselves. We are part of nature and he reminded us of that. Even in the city that gave us Carmeggedon, where we thought wildness had been banished a long time ago, P-22 reminded us it’s still here.
“His legacy to us, and to his kind will never fade. He ensured a future for the entire population of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains by inspiring us to build the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which broke ground this spring.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that “Mountain Lion P-22 Compassionately Euthanized Following Complete Health Evaluation Results.”
After receiving a comprehensive medical evaluation, CDFW has received a clear picture of the mountain lion P-22’s medical condition and overall health. He had several severe injuries and chronic health problems. Based on these factors, compassionate euthanasia under general anesthesia was unanimously recommended by the medical team at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and CDFW officials made the decision to do so on Saturday, Dec. 17.
P-22 received a thorough diagnostic evaluation by the Safari Park’s wildlife health team, under general anesthesia. The extensive evaluation included a physical exam, organ function tests, infectious disease screening, ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) scans of the skull, chest and abdomen.
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 recent injury, such as a vehicle strike. The trauma to his internal organs would require invasive surgical repair.
The examination also revealed significant pre-existing illnesses, including irreversible kidney disease, chronic weight loss, extensive parasitic skin infection over his entire body and localized arthritis, all of which have led to the unfortunate deterioration in P-22’s overall condition.
P-22’s advanced age, combined with chronic, debilitating, life-shortening conditions and the clear need for extensive long-term veterinary intervention left P-22 with no hope for a positive outcome. His poor condition indicated that he may also have had additional underlying conditions not yet fully characterized by diagnostics.