Overview
- Residents reported a mountain lion near Ulloa Street and 44th Avenue and the city issued an emergency alert urging people to keep children close, leash dogs, slowly back away from the animal, and call animal control or 911.
- Wildlife and San Francisco Animal Care and Control teams engaged the animal in a multi-hour standoff that ended when officers tranquilized and captured the mountain lion after it briefly fled into bushes.
- Officials confirmed the capture on Friday and said the animal is now in custody while investigators work to determine whether it is the same individual seen in the Panhandle on Sept. 5.
- A Puma Project spokesperson described the cat as a juvenile male likely dispersing to find territory, a behavior that commonly brings young males into urban edges and increases the chance of close encounters with people.
- The episode ended with no reported injuries, residents told to shelter in place during the operation, and officials warning that the capture could prompt more field patrols and public guidance on how to respond to future mountain lion sightings.