Pacifica residents put on alert after mountain lion spotted

Pacifica residents are on the look out for a mountain lion spotted Wednesday night leaping the backyard fence of a home on Big Bend Drive (pictured here) in the oceanside community. Pacifica residents are on the look out for a mountain lion spotted Wednesday night leaping the backyard fence of a home on Big Bend Drive (pictured here) in the oceanside community. Photo: Google Maps / / Photo: Google Maps / / Image 1 of / 17 Caption Close Pacifica residents put on alert after mountain lion spotted 1 / 17 Back to Gallery

Pacifica residents are being warned that a mountain lion, measuring at least 6 feet long, was seen prowling a residential neighborhood in the oceanside community Wednesday night and leaping over a backyard fence.

Police were called to the 700 block of Big Bend Drive at 8:30 p.m. after the big cat was spotted in the backyard of a home. The homeowner told officers the lion jumped a fence into an adjacent yard.

Officers quickly checked the yards of several nearby residences, but did not find the cat.

One of the residents who initially reported seeing the mountain lion showed officers a video of it. The footage, officials said, was of an adult mountain lion five to six feet long.

Officials notified the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

They have advised all residents to use caution in the area and released a list of safety recommendations that include:

• Not feeding deer. It is illegal in California and it will attract mountain lions.

• Not approaching a mountain lion if one is seen, especially one that is feeding or with offspring. Most mountain lions will try to avoid confrontation.

• Avoiding hiking or jogging through wooded areas at dawn, dusk or at night when mountain lions are most active.

• Keeping a close watch on small children when hiking or traveling in or around wooded areas.

• Keeping all pets and pet food indoors at night.

Kevin Schultz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kschultz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kevinedschultz