A young mountain lion was captured in San Francisco’s Sunset District on Friday morning following a tense standoff and multi-agency response, according to authorities. San Francisco police officers were dispatched around 7:42 a.m. to the 2500 block of 44th Avenue after receiving reports of a possible mountain lion sighting near the ocean.
Morning Standoff in the Outer Sunset
Officers located the animal near 44th Avenue and Ulloa Street, keeping it in sight while waiting for wildlife and animal control crews to arrive. Police told nearby residents to shelter in place and issued an emergency alert warning people about the animal. Some residents reported that the heavy police presence and bullhorns initially caused confusion, with some people briefly mistaking the emergency response for an active shooter situation.
Tranquilization and Capture
As authorities worked to contain the animal, the mountain lion was hunkered down along 44th Avenue between Ulloa and Taraval streets. Around 10:30 a.m., officials decided to tranquilize it. During the attempt, the animal bolted toward people and scampered up 44th Avenue before turning onto Ulloa Street and hiding in a bush near a home on the 2500 block of 44th Avenue, between Ulloa and Vicente streets.
After a second standoff lasting about half an hour in the bushes, the San Francisco Zoo successfully tranquilized the animal. State game wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife took the mountain lion into their care, issuing a Nixle alert stating that the incident had been resolved and there was no longer any danger to the public. Mayor Daniel Lurie also confirmed the containment on social media, thanking the responding agencies.
Research Plans and Release
According to California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Peter Tira, the tranquilized mountain lion has been fitted with a satellite tracking collar. The animal is expected to become part of the Puma Project’s research efforts to track its movements, behavior, and patterns in the wild.
Wildlife officers transferred the sedated animal to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, where a veterinarian will examine it before it is released back into the wild.
Recent Sightings and Safety Guidance
Friday’s incident marked the second mountain lion sighting in San Francisco within two weeks. Earlier in the month, another mountain lion was confirmed in a tree in the city’s Panhandle area before it was believed to have left on its own overnight. A separate unconfirmed report was made near 44th Avenue and Fulton Street on the western edge of Golden Gate Park, and an earlier capture occurred in January after a mountain lion wandered through Pacific Heights. Authorities noted it was not immediately clear whether Friday’s animal was the same individual involved in the earlier sightings.
Following the incident, officials reiterated safety guidelines for mountain lion encounters:
- Do not run and slowly back away.
- Pick up any children with you and keep dogs on a leash.
- Make yourself appear large by waving your arms, shouting, or throwing an object if the animal approaches.
- Report sightings to San Francisco Animal Care and Control at 415-554-9400, or call 911 for a life-threatening emergency.
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