San Francisco authorities capture cougar in residential neighborhood

A cougar roaming through a San Francisco neighborhood caused significant alarm on Friday morning after it was first spotted around 7:30 a.m. Authorities, including the San Francisco Police Department and Animal Care & Control officers, responded to the scene, using megaphones to instruct residents to remain inside their homes.

The capture operation involved a pursuit after the animal fled into dense vegetation when officials attempted to administer a sedative dart. Following a 30-minute search through thick brush, officers successfully immobilized the cougar using a tranquilizer.

This incident marks the second time a cougar has been spotted within San Francisco city limits in two weeks, following a previous sighting in the Panhandle area on September 5.