A large house cat spotted in San Francisco (left) and a mountain lion (right).Photo:South San Francisco Police Department; Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty
South San Francisco Police Department; Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/Getty
A large feline spotted roaming around yards in San Francisco isn’t a mountain lion as originally suspected, police said.
In anInstagramupdate posted on March 28, the South San Francisco Police Department (SSFPD) confirmed that the animal originally seen on a doorbell camera located at the 200 block of Mansfield Drive on March 26 was actually a large cat — as in a large house cat, and not a mountain lion as first suspected.
“We were able to confirm the Big Cat was not a mountain lion,” the SSFPD said.
According to the SSFPD, police reported to the residential area and “were unable to locate this furry guy.” They added that “there were no additional sightings” and said “there is no potential threat for the neighborhood.”
In aFacebook post, police shared safety tips with patrons in the event that they encountered unknown wildlife in their neighborhood. “We’d like to remind our residents to avoid mountain lions, even at a distance a brief glimpse should be cause for alarm,” the police said. “If confronted with a mountain lion, make your presence known; make noise, try to make yourself appear bigger & back away slowly.”
The police also warned pet owners, “Do not leave your domestic pets [SIC] food outside, pets can attract mountain lions into developed areas such as this backyard.”
“Report any mountain lion encounter or incident to your local Police Department, local Ranger District or Fish and Wildlife Office,” the authorities added.
It’s unclear whether the cat was feral or a domesticated pet.
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The injured man was separated from his brother during the attack, but the police located the deceased when they arrived in the area and “observed a crouched mountain lion next to a subject on the ground.”
“Deputies discharged their firearms scaring the mountain lion off so they could render aid. Unfortunately, the male subject was deceased,” the statement said.
source: people.com
