As Reporter Covers Capture of Mountain Lion, a Coyote Strolls Behind Her in San Francisco

San Francisco, CA – In a quintessential Bay Area moment blending urban life with wild surprises, a young mountain lion was safely tranquilized and captured in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, after days of sightings that captivated-and concerned-residents. But the story took an even more ironic twist when a coyote casually strolled into the frame during a live television report on the big cat's removal.

The 2-year-old, 77-pound male mountain lion (also known as a cougar) was first spotted late Monday near Pacific Avenue and Octavia Street, with additional sightings near Lafayette Park early Tuesday. Authorities from San Francisco Animal Care and Control, working alongside the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the San Francisco Zoo, located the animal in a narrow space between buildings on California Street between Laguna and Octavia. Streets were blocked off as officials used multiple tranquilizer darts to sedate the cougar safely, ensuring no harm to the animal or the public.

Experts believe the young male had wandered into the city-likely from southern hills along the Pacific Coast-in search of new territory, a common behavior for dispersing juveniles. Mountain lion sightings in San Francisco are rare, though not unprecedented; similar incidents occurred in 2020 and 2021, with animals typically released back into suitable wilderness areas.

As Reporter Covers Capture of San Francisco Mountain Lion, a Coyote Strolls Behind Her

While ABC7 News reporter Frances Wang delivered a live shot from the scene covering the capture, a local resident of the city's streets made an unbothered appearance: a coyote strolled directly behind her, completely unnoticed as she spoke. The moment, captured on video and shared by ABC7, quickly went viral for its perfect irony-reporting on the removal of one wild predator while another urban wildlife regular made a cameo.

"Your eyes do not deceive you. That's a coyote strolling on by during ABC7's Frances Wang live shot," the station posted on X (formerly Twitter). "Ironically, she was reporting on the capture of a 2-year-old mountain lion who was seen roaming around San Francisco streets."Coyotes are far more commonplace in San Francisco's parks, green spaces, and even residential areas, often seen as adaptable city dwellers. No injuries were reported from either animal's presence, and the mountain lion was expected to be evaluated by zoo veterinarians before relocation to a safer habitat.

The incident serves as a reminder of San Francisco's unique coexistence with wildlife-from sea lions at Pier 39 to wild parrots in the Telegraph Hill area-where nature occasionally steps right into the daily news cycle. Residents are reminded by officials: if you spot a mountain lion, do not approach; slowly back away and give it space.

A young 2-year-old, 77-pound mountain lion had been spotted roaming the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood, prompting a response from San Francisco Animal Care and Control, police, and wildlife officials. The animal was eventually located, tranquilized (multiple darts for safety), and captured safely before being released back into the wild. It was hiding in a narrow space between buildings near California Street and Octavia/Laguna.

While Frances Wang was delivering a live shot covering the capture and related scene, a coyote casually strolled right behind her in the frame-completely unnoticed by her at the time. The irony was perfect: reporting on a big cat being removed from the city, while another urban wildlife regular (coyotes are common in SF parks and streets) made an unbothered cameo.

ABC7 News shared the clip on X (formerly Twitter), captioning it something along the lines of "Your eyes do not deceive you. That's a coyote strolling on by during ABC7's Frances Wang live shot. Ironically, she was reporting on the capture of a 2-year-old mountain lion who was seen roaming around San Francisco streets." It quickly gained traction for the humorous, classic San Francisco wildlife overlap.

Mountain lion sightings in the city are rare (young males often wander looking for territory), but coyotes are far more commonplace in urban areas like SF. No one was harmed in either the lion incident or the coyote's cameo! If you're looking for the video, it's available on ABC7's site or their social media posts from that date.