Officials issue warning after residents spot mountain lion lurking in major city: 'It was so big'

An unlikely visitor was wandering the streets of San Francisco this winter. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a mountain lion was spotted on the loose in the center of the city.

The mountain lion was found hiding in a yard near an apartment building on California and Octavia streets. Officials from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife tranquilized the mountain lion and safely secured the animal in a cage for transport. It had been roaming around the city for 30 hours.

ABC7 News Bay Area shared some footage of the lion:

Officials confirmed that the mountain lion was a young male, about 2 years old and 77 pounds. Since the lion was scared and hiding in a tight spot, catching it was challenging and took officials longer than expected. 

"He is doing OK. Fish and Wildlife will take him and release him to a natural habitat," Mariano Elias, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department, told the Chronicle.

The mountain lion was first spotted in Pacific Heights, heading toward Lafayette Park. City Animal Care and Control was notified of the sighting and acted quickly to alert the public.

Mountain lion sightings within the heart of the City by the Bay are rare. While mountain lions live in the surrounding area, such as the Peninsula counties, this particular sighting was unusual.

Wildlife experts believe the creature was displaced and looking for new territory. As a result, officers noted that they would release the mountain lion in an area without any other male lions nearby. 

Wildlife encounters such as this one may be partially due to habitat destruction and urban development. If you encounter a mountain lion, experts advise making eye contact and raising your arms to appear bigger. Avoid running away; instead, slowly back away.

One resident, Madrey Hilton, saw the mountain lion from her car and recorded video of it as it headed toward Lafayette Park.

"It was so big … not just a regular cat," Hilton said.

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