Officials in San Carlos are alerting residents to keep a watchful eye after two separate mountain lion sightings were called in Saturday night, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.
Residents reported seeing the big cats in the Crestview area before the animals disappeared, according to sheriff's officials.
The first sighting occurred around 9:40 p.m. along Crestview Drive near Melendy Drive, sheriff's officials said. A driver was cruising along when she told authorities she saw an "adult-sized mountain lion" meander in front of her car. The mountain lion fled in an unknown direction.
Roughly two hours later, a second sighting was reported along the 3300 block of Brittan Avenue. A man said he saw a "really big whitish-brown mountain lion" on a nearby hillside, according to sheriff's officials. That animal vanished into the Pulgas Ridge Open Space.
"As I was walking my dogs, it was in the back of my mind," resident Mike Thompson said. "But usually they keep away from people."
It is unclear if the mountain lion spotted in the first sighting is the same one seen two hours later.
Officials are advising residents to never approach a mountain lion if they spot one. The animals will likely avoid confrontation, but if a person finds themselves face-to-face with one, they are advised to face the cat, stand tall and make noises in an attempt to look big and intimidating. Those trapped in that predicament can also throw rocks or other objects.
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NBC Bay Area's Marianne Favro contributed to this report.
