A celebrated California mountain lion was celebrated at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday, with thousands of fans honoring the big cat’s life and contribution to urban wildlife.
The mountain lion, called P-22 and believed to be about 12 years old, has been crossing busy highways to take up residence in and around Griffith Park, after living in the shadows of the Hollywood Hills for more than a decade. After became a Los Angeles celebrity.
The P-22, famously photographed walking past the historic Hollywood Sign, became a popular symbol in campaigns to save California’s threatened population of mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas.
The animal was euthanized in December due to serious health problems following a suspected vehicular collision.
“Around his death, the global outpouring of support was overwhelming,” said Beth Pratt, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation California, which championed P-22 for a decade. He was trending on Twitter. Were.” , told Reuters.