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| Mountain Lion P22 Killed by Poison, p22, p-22, puma,mountain lion,cougar,mary cummins,animal advocates, animaladvocates.us, marycummins.com, wildlife rehabilitation, los angeles, caliornia, fish, game, poison, anticoagulant, griffith park |
Los Angeles' most famous mountain lion P-22 was euthanized by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife December 17, 2022 due to fatal injury and illness. The necropsy report (https://wildlife.ca.gov/News/final-necropsy-results-released-for-mountain-lion-p-22) was released June 14, 2023. It showed his death was caused by exposure to anticoagulant poison and traumatic injury.
The report stated he suffered "recent trauma to his head and right eye, including an orbital fracture." He had "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." The injuries were most likely from a car strike.
He was "underweight, arthritic and had progressive and incurable kidney disease." He had "a severe parasitic skin infection over his entire body, caused by demodectic mange and a fungus, specifically ringworm." Toxicology "revealed exposure to five anticoagulant rodenticides compounds."
Research has shown that long term exposure to anticoagulant poison causes the immune system to be suppressed. The body is no longer able to fight off common parasitic infections such as mites and ringworm. The poison also causes anticoagulant-related nephropathy and results in bleeding in the kidneys which causes kidney failure. Over time the animal becomes weak, dehydrated and unable to easily procure prey animals. This causes the animals to more easily be hit by cars. Poison ultimately killed P-22.
All of the bobcats, foxes, coyotes that we've taken into our wildlife rehabilitation facility over the last 20 years that were hit by cars had major mange mite infestations. They were thin, weak, dehydrated and had poor coat condition just like P22. This was caused by the animals eating poisoned animals. Poisoned animals are easier to catch than healthy ones. People use anticoagulant poison to kill ground squirrels, gophers and rats around homes, golf courses and parks. You can clearly see the poison bait stations scattered all around Griffith Park where P-22 lived. We've taken in many poisoned animals from this park.
The main causes of mountain lion deaths are depredation permits, poison and auto collisions. A depredation permit is a permit to kill a specific mountain lion after they have injured or killed someone's pet or farm animal. The owner of the dead animal requests the permit and a hunter shoots it dead. Some estimate there were or are about 4,000 mountain lions in California. From 2001 to 2018 1,400 were killed by depredation permits per Fish & Wildlife.
The other main cause of death is poison. 96% of mountain lions that have been tested have been exposed to anticoagulant poison per Fish & Wildlife. They are poisoned for their entire lives if they live near human development. This causes kidney failure besides many other health issues similar to what P22 suffered. Poisoned animals are more likely to be hit by cars.
Fish & Wildlife has tried to limit the poisoning but failed because pesticides are not under their jurisdiction. Depredation permits are under their jurisdiction. We need state politicians to step up and call for an emergency injunction to all depredation permits. There also must be tougher restrictions on the use of anticoagulant poison outdoors where non-target wildlife can be poisoned. I've witnessed coyotes sitting right outside poison stations in Griffith Park waiting for the animals to exit so they can eat them.
While wildlife crossings will help some wildlife it may cause others to encroach deeper into developed parts of the city increasing their risk of being killed by depredation permits, poisoning and car strikes. One can only hope our local mountain lions use them to exit the city instead of entering. We owe it to P22 and all of Los Angeles' wildlife to do better. For years people have complained about poison and depredation permits yet nothing has changed. Maybe P22's cruel and agonizing death will be the impetus Los Angeles needs to finally change things.
Mary Cummins
President
#P22 #mountainlion #puma #marycummins #losangeles #california #griffithpark #cougar #poison #rodenticides #rodenticide #anticoagulantes #anticoagulant #ratpoison
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