By Stefanie Dazio -
The Associated Press
Tribal leaders, scientists and nature lovers buried Southern California's most famous cougar this weekend in the mountains where the big cat once roamed.
P-22, as the animal was dubbed, made
Griffith Park
his home for years.
This park located near downtown Los Angeles is known for the emblematic Hollywood sign that distinguishes the Californian city.
Its name was the result of abbreviating the word puma with the number assigned to it during a study by the National Park Service.
The animal became in the last decade a symbol of resistance of an endangered species.
Cougars are also called mountain lions.
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Its death late last year sparked a debate among tribes around Los Angeles and wildlife officials over whether scientists could keep samples of the cougar's remains for their research.
Some representatives of the Chumash, Tataviam and Gabrielino (Tongva) peoples argued that the samples taken during the necropsy should have been buried along with the rest of his body on the ancestral lands where he lived.
Other tribal elders said keeping the specimens for scientific testing would be disrespectful of their traditions.
Cougars are
considered kin and teachers
in Los Angeles tribal communities.
The P-22 Cougar photographed in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California.Uncredited / AP
The parties failed to reach a consensus and the animal was buried Saturday in the Santa Monica Mountains.
"While we have made every effort to keep the carcass intact, the tribes and agencies involved are still in negotiations to come to a conclusion on some of the samples," the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement on Monday.
“What is important to understand is that the Tribes and the agencies involved agreed to go ahead with the burial and
it was a moving ceremony
.
We have reached a better place of understanding and look forward to continued growth from there.”
It was not clear if these samples could later be buried with the animal or if the tribes agreed to allow the scientists to keep some samples for further testing.
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The tribal burial on Saturday included songs, prayers and sage incenses, according to Alan Salazar, a member of the organization
Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians and descendant of the Chumash tribe.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History,
where the puma's remains were kept in a freezer
, called the burial a "historically significant ceremony."
"P-22's death has affected us all and he will always be a revered icon and ambassador for wildlife conservation," the museum said in a statement Monday.
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Salazar, who attended the ceremony, said that P-22 has taught officials and scientists the importance of respecting traditions and animals.
Beth Pratt, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation in California, who also attended the ceremony, wrote on Facebook that the burial "helped her find some peace" following the animal's death in 2022.
Authorities believe P-22 was born about 12 years ago in the mountains west of Santa Monica, but emigrated after being assaulted by his father and having difficulty finding a mate due to plummeting cougar populations.
That led him to cross two busy highways and migrate east to Griffith Park, where a biologist spotted him on camera in 2012.
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Following its history, a bridge was created to facilitate the passage of these wild animals from the mountains to the northern lands.
P-22 was trapped in the backyard of a home last December after being attacked by domestic dogs.
X-rays of his body revealed that he had been hit by a car, causing a fractured skull.
The tests also
showed chronic skin, kidney and liver diseases.
The beloved feline was euthanized five days later.
To honor his memory, a rock from Griffith Park was moved and placed near his grave in the Santa Monica Mountains.