A “possible mountain lion” was reported by a Menlo Park resident early Thursday evening, triggering a telephone alert to about 2,500 northern Palo Alto residents and calls to Palo Alto school officials.
But City Naturalist Deborah Bartens reported after interviewing the person that it could have been a bobcat.
“But we’re taking every precaution,” a police spokesman said.
In either case, it was headed east toward Palo Alto, and police — stung by earlier criticisms about being too slow to alert residents of the mountain lion in mid-May — activated the city’s dial-up alert system for north Palo Alto homes and notified school officials.
There were no other sightings reported, and police patrols of the area found no sign of a large cat as of 11 p.m.
Walter Hays Elementary school parents were notified of the sighting through an “emergency e-news supplement” of the school’s e-news. The notice said Superintendent Mary Frances Callan has asked the school “to keep the kids inside tomorrow (Friday) until further notice.”
The notice suggested that “kids should not walk or bike to school alone” and asked for volunteers to assist at the school to monitor the school grounds, escort students to restrooms and fill in for teachers during recesses and lunchtime.