SAN FRANCISCO \u2013 A 77-pound mountain lion set off a scramble Tuesday as it wandered through San Francisco\u2019s wealthy Pacific Heights neighborhood before finally being captured as onlookers safely peered from their home windows or stood across the street.<\/p>\n
Dozens of officials worked to capture and tranquilize the male cat after warnings were issued advising people to slowly back away if they encountered it.<\/p>\n
The wild cat was first seen Monday morning. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was so big \u2026 not just a regular cat,\u201d said Madrey Hilton, who took video of the animal Monday morning and alerted authorities, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. <\/p>\n
The lion \u201cjust looked like it was minding its own business,\u201d Hilton told the newspaper, adding that it scaled the wall and headed into picturesque Lafayette Park, which features two tennis courts, a children\u2019s playground, and an off-leash dog area.<\/p>\n
The mountain lion was found Tuesday hiding in a garden between two apartment buildings, San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Mariano Elias said. Authorities shot the feline with tranquilizers three times \u201cto make sure it was completely unconscious,\u201d Elias said. \u201cThey covered his eyes and bound its paws, just to make sure it wasn\u2019t going to run anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Veterinarians with the San Francisco Zoo then examined the cat before placing it in a cage. It will undergo further testing to ensure it is healthy before it’s released to the wild, Elias said.<\/p>\n
The 2-year-old male cougar was tagged and last spotted in Saratoga, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of San Francisco, he said. Cougars, mountain lions, panthers and pumas are the same cat species \u2014 puma concolor, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance website.<\/p>\n
Mountain lion sightings are rare in San Francisco, where coyotes abound. <\/p>\n