REDWOOD CITY – On June 16, 2026, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced that its officers and biologists responded to a report of a mountain lion resting on a Redwood City resident’s backyard fence under the shade of a tree. The report was received through CalTIP on the morning of June 15th. T
CDFW wildlife officers and biologists darted the lion to immobilize it and assess its health. Found to be a healthy female about 1-2 years old, the lion was fitted with a GPS-tracking collar as part of a UC Santa Cruz study, loaded into a crate for transport and taken to nearby suitable habitat in the Santa Cruz Mountains for release.
Mountain lions are very wary of humans and often avoid populated areas but can on rare occasion make their way into cities in search of food or other resources. In most cases these animals find their way back to open spaces on their own, but busy city streets and freeways can make that return difficult and dangerous. That’s why CDFW considers this mountain lion’s return to the wild a success story.
CDFW expressed its gratitude to UC Santa Cruz Puma Project researchers for their assistance and support in collaring the animal for future monitoring and to Redwood City Police Department officers for helping secure the scene.
Report wildlife-related emergencies to CDFW wildlife officers by calling CalTIP at 1-888-334-2258 or using the Tip411 app. This mountain lion showed no signs of aggression and was not associated with any reports of wildlife conflict but in the event of a public safety threat, dial 911.
“Many times, protecting wildlife and protecting the public go hand in hand for CDFW officers. We are grateful for this successful outcome and that everyone—including the mountain lion—returned home safely,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.
