CDFW returned a mountain lion to natural habitat early this morning after the young cat found himself surrounded by the busy city streets of San Francisco.
CDFW wildlife officers responded to reports of mountain lion sightings in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, locating the animal Tuesday in a narrow space between buildings.
With no clear pathways out of the city on his own, this mountain lion needed human intervention to get out of a difficult situation. CDFW wildlife biologists and San Francisco Zoo veterinarians were called to the scene, chemically immobilizing the mountain lion to allow for safe capture, transport and return to suitable habitat.
With the assistance of the San Francisco Zoo veterinarians and a U.C. Santa Cruz Puma Project researcher, CDFW biologists evaluated the mountain lion’s health, finding a healthy male weighing 77 lbs and estimated to be about 2 years old. The mountain lion was also fitted with a GPS tracking collar as part of the U.C. Santa Cruz Puma Project.
At 2 years of age male mountain lions have dispersed from their mothers and must establish their own territory. Mountain lions are very wary of humans and often avoid populated areas but can on rare occasion make their way into cities in search of food or other resources. In most cases these animals find their way back to open spaces on their own, but in some cases need help.
Additional agencies assisting in this collaborative response include San Francisco Animal Care and Control and the San Francisco Fire and Police departments. The mountain lion showed no signs of aggression toward responding personnel.
CDFW released the mountain lion into suitable habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains, which span more than 1,000 square miles.
In the event of a mountain lion encounter, get loud, wave your arms and attempt to scare the lion away. Never approach a mountain lion and instead try to back away slowly. Keep children and pets close by. In the event of a public safety threat, dial 911.
CDFW asks that mountain lion sightings and encounters be reported to the Wildlife Incident Reporting System at https://apps.wildlife.ca.gov/wir. This reporting system is monitored by CDFW and reports are responded to as needed.
