P-22, Los Angeles' famous mountain lion, has been euthanized after 'severe injuries' from possible 'vehicle strike' - CNN

CNN  — 

P-22, a upland lion who has spent years successful Los Angeles’ Griffith Park, has been euthanized aft apt suffering injuries successful a “vehicle strike,” officials say.

The large feline made made headlines past period aft he attacked and killed a resident’s leashed chihuahua. He was captured by authorities connected Monday, who utilized GPS information from his tracking collar to find and anesthetize him.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife made the determination to euthanize P-22 aft a “comprehensive aesculapian evaluation,” according to a quality merchandise Saturday.

The section said the “compassionate euthanasia” was unanimously recommended by the aesculapian squad astatine San Diego Zoo Safari Park and conducted nether wide anesthesia.

P-22 was fixed an “extensive evaluation” which “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,” said the department. “The trauma to his interior organs would necessitate invasive surgical repair.”

The 12-year aged upland lion besides had “significant pre-existing illnesses, including irreversible kidney disease, chronic value loss, extended parasitic tegument corruption implicit his full assemblage and localized arthritis,” according to the release.

He was successful mediocre wellness wide and “may besides person had further underlying conditions not yet afloat characterized by diagnostics,” said the department.

Officials volition not beryllium seeking accusation connected P-22’s imaginable run-in with a vehicle, they added.

“This concern is not the responsibility of P-22, nor of a operator who whitethorn person deed him,” wrote the department. “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.”

P-22 go a Los Angeles personage erstwhile helium was photographed beneath the iconic Hollywood motion by a camera trap. The representation was featured successful the December 2013 contented of National Geographic.

The upland lion adjacent had his ain Facebook and Instagram pages, wherever fans near heartfelt messages connected Saturday.

P-22 besides made headlines for breaching a 9-foot obstruction astatine the Los Angeles Zoo and mauling a koala in 2016.

Officials passim California issued statements marking the upland lion’s death, including Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“P-22’s endurance connected an land of wilderness successful the bosom of Los Angeles captivated radical astir the satellite and revitalized efforts to support our divers autochthonal taxon and ecosystems,” Newsom said successful a quality release.

Newsom’s begetter was a laminitis of the Mountain Lion Foundation and championed imperishable protections for the species, according to the release.

“The iconic upland lion’s unthinkable travel helped animate a caller epoch of conserving and reconnecting nature, including done the world’s largest wildlife overpass successful Liberty Canyon,” Newsom added. “With innovative coalitions and strategies to reconstruct captious situation crossed the state, we’ll proceed moving to support California’s precious earthy practice for generations to come.”

Earlier this twelvemonth operation connected a wildlife crossing spanning 10 lanes on Highway 101 began, with the hopes of creating a safer mode for animals to roam successful the region. In addition, Newsom promised $50 cardinal for different akin projects passim the state.

Beth Pratt, the California determination enforcement manager for the National Wildlife Federation, besides remembered the upland lion successful an affectional quality release. She said it is “hard to ideate I volition beryllium penning astir P-22 successful the past tense now,” and expressed anticipation that aboriginal California upland lions would beryllium capable to roam safely.

“Thank you for the acquisition of knowing you, P-22. I’ll miss you forever,” Pratt said. “But I volition ne'er halt moving to grant your legacy, and though we failed you, we tin astatine slightest partially atone by making the satellite safer for your kind.”

Correction: A erstwhile mentation of this communicative incorrectly stated erstwhile authorities captured P-22. He was captured connected Monday.