Mountain lion captured after prowling Santa Monica neighborhood for 11 hours

A mountain lion that strayed miles from its native habitat in the Santa Monica Mountains spent nearly 11 hours prowling through a residential neighborhood Friday before California wildlife officials tranquilized and captured the animal just before 7 p.m., ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenge wildlife managers face as mountain lions from the Santa Monica Mountains increasingly venture into the region's dense coastal neighborhoods.

The mountain lion was first spotted around 8 a.m. hiding in the bushes near a home at 14th Street and Montana Avenue, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Resident Anna Redmond said she came across the big cat in her backyard and immediately raised the alarm. "I yelled, 'There's a mountain lion in our yard,'" Redmond told Eyewitness News.

Police closed multiple streets and ordered residents to stay indoors as the animal moved through the neighborhood. Officers cordoned off an alley with caution tape after the mountain lion ran into it — where California Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists were already stationed with tranquilizer guns.

As wildlife officials prepared to act, Redmond described the mountain lion's demeanor from her yard. "It was just staring at us, and then it would put its head down. It licked its lips a couple of times, it yawned," she said.

At least one tranquilizer dart struck the animal near Euclid Street and Marguerita Avenue. The lion fell asleep and was carried into a pickup truck for transport. Officials completed the capture just before 7 p.m. — nearly 11 hours after the cat first appeared. Neighbor Susan Clark said the standoff showed how unpredictable such encounters can be. "I'm sure the cat was really frightened and all these people coming up to it," Clark said. "So who knows what could have happened."

No injuries were reported. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the lion will be evaluated and, if found healthy, fitted with a tracking collar and released into the nearest suitable habitat within the Santa Monica Mountains, ABC7 Los Angeles reported.

If found healthy, the mountain lion will be fitted with a tracking collar before release, giving wildlife managers a way to monitor its movements after it returns to the Santa Monica Mountains.