San Francisco park officials on Friday announced two confirmed mountain lion sightings in the city in recent weeks

San Francisco park officials on Friday announced two confirmed mountain lion sightings in the city in recent weeks, one at Golden Gate Park and the other at Lake Merced in the southwestern part of the city.

Warning signs have been posted by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, along with San Francisco Animal Care and Control and the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.

A mountain lion was spotted this past Tuesday in the west end ofGolden Gate Park, and another sighting was reported Aug. 21 in the Lake Merced area. Neither report indicated aggressive behavior toward humans, park officials said.

The park department said mountain lion attacks toward humans are rare, but asks people to keep pets on leash, keep a close eye on small children in areas where the big cats have been spotted, and to avoid hiking, biking or jogging alone at dawn, dusk or at night.

Anyone who sees a mountain lion is asked to call 311.

Bay Area NewsPeninsulasan francisco news

If you find our journalism valuable and relevant, please consider joining our Examiner membership program.

Find out more at www.sfexaminer.com/join/