Residents of one of San Francisco’s glitziest neighborhoods are being warned to keep their eyes peeled after a mountain lion was caught on camera prowling the streets on Monday.
The wayward big cat was spotted on video near Lafayette Park, and is estimated to be about a year old, according to San Francisco Animal Care and Control.
“It’s likely that the mountain lion got lost while dispersing, is confused, and will soon find its way south and out of San Francisco,” officials said in an Instagram post.
Posters with the title “Mountain Lion Awareness” were plastered around the area by the city parks departments. They gave people tips on what to do if they see one, including “Be loud . . . Stand tall, while backing slowly away . . DO NOT turn and run.”
Residents who reported seeing the creatures were mostly shocked by the experience.
“Early this morning while getting dropped off by a friend I witnessed a majestic mountain lion trotting down my block and up the steps to a corridor next to my apartment,” someone wrote on Reddit. “It was HUGE!”
The city’s park rangers didn’t take any chances, and temporarily closed off Lafayette Park on Monday to search for fuzzy intruder, according to the SF Chronicle.
While the park has since reopened after no signs of the lion were found, officials urge the public to remain vigilant and keep yours dogs on leashes.
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