Mountain Lion Spotted in San Francisco’s Sunset District

A mountain lion managed to evade capture for several hours in San Francisco on Friday. This unusual sighting occurred in the busy Sunset District, which is the largest neighborhood in the city.

Authorities, including police, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and animal control, surrounded the animal in Outer Sunset and successfully tranquilized it.

After its capture, the mountain lion was released back into its natural habitat.

Animal Care & Control shared several videos of the cougar later in the day as it exited its crate and made its way back into a wooded area.

Interestingly, the mountain lion was found wearing a collar, which it apparently didn’t have before.

“We’re happy to report that our mountain lion visitor has been released back to the wild by our friends at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,” the organization noted on social media.

Officials expressed gratitude for the collaboration among the various agencies involved. They remarked, “It takes a village to wrangle a mountain lion! Thank you to the San Francisco Zoo for their expertise in darting the lion and documenting the scene. We appreciate the support from the San Francisco Police Department, and a big shoutout to the Santa Cruz Puma Project. And of course, thanks to our dedicated Animal Control Officers.”

Earlier this month, another mountain lion was spotted in the city’s Panhandle neighborhood, but it returned to the woods on its own. It’s uncertain whether it was the same lion seen on Friday.