Famed mountain lion P-22 died of multiple severe injuries and chronic conditions that impaired his ability to function in the wild, final necropsy results released Wednesday showed.
The conditions also would have lowered his quality of life if he had been placed in human care, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and National Park Service.
Late last year, the cougar was captured and humanely euthanized after being struck by a car near Griffith Park, the urban park he once roamed.
Wildlife officials had been searching for the him over concerns for his health and after he was implicated in two dog attacks.
The lion was believed to be 12 years old and had kidney, liver and possible heart disease.
P-22 had recent trauma to his head and right eye, including an orbital fracture with bleeding and early stages of scar tissue development, officials detailed.
“P-22 also had injuries consistent with older, significant trauma, including a diaphragmatic rupture, through which the liver and sections of connective tissue from the abdomen had herniated and were inside his chest cavity,” according to the CDFW.
The exam also confirmed the lion was underweight, arthritic and had progressive and incurable kidney disease.
He had a “severed parasitic skin infection over his entire body” that officials said was caused by mange and ringworm.
P-22 had also been exposed to rodenticide, but had no evidence of poisoning.
Officials believe he may have been exposed to a widely available rodenticide through prey.
In a statement, Tiffany Yap, a senior scientist for the Center for Biological Diversity, said that while P-22’s death was not directly attributed to rodenticide poisoning, it likely contributed to his chronic disease and poor health.
“Many of us don’t realize how much our day-to-day lives affect wildlife until a necropsy report reveals all the ways our beloved puma suffered,” Yap said. “Thoughtless development and reckless use of toxic poisons to control pests have devastating consequences. We know that building more wildlife crossings and removing the deadliest rodenticides from the market will help.”
The organization is sponsoring a state assembly bill that would expand restrictions on toxic rat poisons that are deadly to mountain lions and other wildlife. AB 1322, or the California Ecosystems Protection Act, has passed in the California Assembly and awaits Senate approval.
Since his death, P-22 has been memorialized with a mural in the Fairfax District, a commemorative hike and a limited-edition Los Angeles Public Library card.
He even got his own memorial service at the Greek Theater, nestled in Griffith Park.
The famed lion was laid to rest in a tribal ceremony in the Santa Monica Mountains in March, and could get a permanent memorial at Griffith Park.
