A mountain lion that was spotted in San Francisco’s Sunset District on Friday evaded capture for several hours before being tranquilized and released back into the wild, according to officials.
The animal was first seen in the busy Outer Sunset neighborhood, the city’s largest. Police, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, animal control, and the San Francisco Zoo surrounded the mountain lion and eventually tranquilized it.
Animal Care & Control later shared videos of the cougar emerging from its crate and heading into a wooded area. The mountain lion was wearing a collar that it did not previously have.
“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 wrote on Facebook.
The group also expressed gratitude for the multi-agency effort: “We’re so grateful for the collaboration today between so many agencies and organizations. It takes a village to wrangle a mountain lion! Thank you to the San Francisco Zoo for their expertise darting the lion and documenting the scene. Thank you to the San Francisco Police Department for having our backs and thank you to the wonderful Santa Cruz Puma Project! And of course, thank you to our fabulous Animal Control Officers who go above and beyond helping animals and people every single day!”
Earlier this month, a mountain lion was spotted in the city’s Panhandle neighborhood, but it returned to the woods on its own. It is unclear whether it was the same mountain lion seen on Friday.
