P-22, Hollywood's famous mountain lion, is euthanized after suffering injuries - NPR

P-22, pictured successful the Griffith Park country adjacent downtown Los Angeles successful 2014, has been euthanized, officials said Saturday. U.S. National Park Service, via AP hide caption

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U.S. National Park Service, via AP

P-22, pictured successful the Griffith Park country adjacent downtown Los Angeles successful 2014, has been euthanized, officials said Saturday.

U.S. National Park Service, via AP

For years, a chaotic upland lion's beingness successful metropolitan Los Angeles captured the attraction — and adoration — of the city's residents. But his communicative came to a bittersweet adjacent connected Saturday.

Wildlife officials euthanized the animal, dubbed P-22, aft discovering helium suffered from a slew of aesculapian issues — and sustained injuries aft a conveyance struck him.

The 12-year-old "Hollywood Cat" made his debut successful 2012 aft completing a unsafe trek from the Santa Monica Mountains, that included crossing 2 large LA freeways, according to the National Park Service.

He became a section personage aft residents spotted him adjacent the Hollywood sign, becoming sick from rat poison and hiding underneath an LA home. And portion P-22 spent years skulking freely successful Griffith Park, the authorities announced their determination to seizure him connected Dec. 8.

After receiving reports that P-22 continued to look dangerously adjacent to quality dwellings, whitethorn beryllium distressed aft killing a leashed pet successful November, and reports that a conveyance struck him, authorities successfully captured the lion connected Monday.

On Saturday, the aesculapian squad astatine San Diego Zoo Safari Park and officials from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said they completed a aesculapian introspection connected P-22 and recommended euthanasia.

"The results of these tests and screenings showed important trauma to the upland lion's head, close oculus and interior organs, confirming the suspicion of caller injury, specified arsenic a conveyance strike," CDFW officials said successful a press merchandise announcing the decision. "The trauma to his interior organs would necessitate invasive surgical repair."

The aesculapian squad besides cited the animal's precocious age, and pre-existing illnesses, including extended parasitic tegument infection, arthritis and irreversible kidney disease, successful its determination to euthanize the lion.

Officials said they aren't seeking accusation connected who struck P-22.

"This concern is not the responsibility of P-22, nor of a operator who whitethorn person deed him," CDFW officials said successful the release. "Rather, it is an eventuality that arises from situation nonaccomplishment and fragmentation, and it underscores the request for thoughtful operation of wildlife crossings and well-planned spaces that supply chaotic animals country to roam."