The end of an era.

We all knew this moment would come, and if I’m honest, I suspected the outcome from the day plans were announced to capture P-22. Once guided only by instinct to find a new home, he had already defied the odds. Though life in isolation at Griffith Park was far from ideal, his resilience captured the hearts of Los Angeles and beyond. In time, his presence would prove instrumental in driving monumental change for his species in the city.

Rumors swirled like Hollywood celebrity gossip—speculation about his condition, his future, and whether he might be euthanized. His devoted fans wanted clarity, desperate to know what would become of their beloved mountain lion.

Some of the rumors, sadly, proved true. P-22 had been struck by a vehicle, and his overall health was in steep decline. At 12 years old—an impressive age for a mountain lion—nature and circumstance had finally caught up with him.

I wept for P-22 and for the empty space he left in the hearts of his fans and all who had worked so tirelessly to protect him.

LA—and the world—fell in love with P-22, and in doing so, we should have also prepared ourselves for the day we’d have to let him go. The end of life for a wild animal is rarely kind, and humans are seldom witnesses to that process. Nature almost always takes its course in solitude, far from human eyes. But with P-22, we had a front-row seat to both his life and his passing. For me, that has been a profound privilege, and I hope others see it the same way.

The time had come for P-22 to make his final crossing, and we knew that the people closest to him would do their best to ensure it was as peaceful and pain free as possible. P-22 left this world for the next surrounded by those who truly respected him, and that is something we should all be thankful for.

Much has been written about P-22’s back story so I won’t reiterate that here, you can find more about him in the archives of my blog if you are so inclined, or head over to his Facebook page to find the numerous tributes and planned celebrations that they have in store.

P-22 was a mountain lion that lived wild and free as best as he could under the circumstances presented to him. Along the way he became the most famous mountain lion in the world and spokes cat for his species and their plight.

He was born at the right time and happened to pick the right place to live, surrounded by the right people. Some will say it was chance, but I think it was more. He was a gift, one that would ultimately help humans see the consequences of our actions or inactions. He reminded us that we cannot ignore the needs of our wild companions with whom we share this earth. When you think about his story it is truly amazing, and it could have only happened in LA.

We will very likely never see another mountain lion like P-22 again and perhaps Griffith Park will feel his absence along with the rest of us. History has been written, and like P-22 it should not be forgotten.

His lasting legacy will be the completed wildlife crossing he helped inspire—a permanent tribute to his life and to the lives of other mountain lions. When completed, It will offer them the chance we all wish P-22 himself had been given.

*If you are in the LA area on February 4, 2023 there will be a Celebration of Life to honour P-22 at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park. Details can be found here.