Mountain lion sighting in San Francisco triggers emergency response

A mountain lion sighting in San Francisco’s Panhandle area near Golden Gate Park triggered an emergency response on Saturday night, September 5. The animal was reported by a pedestrian walking a dog near the intersection of Fell and Baker streets, where it reportedly climbed into a tree with dense foliage.

San Francisco Animal Care & Control issued an alert around 9:10 p.m., advising residents to back away slowly, keep dogs on leashes, and pick up children if they encounter the predator. Authorities cordoned off the northeast edge of the Panhandle and closed Fell Street between Broderick and Central to facilitate the search.

Emergency crews utilized drones and illumination to scan the tree canopy, but the animal was not located. A spokesperson for the Department of Fish and Wildlife stated that wardens never spotted the lion, suggesting it may have fled the area before response teams arrived.