Mountain lion sighting:

Adult, cub spotted near schools in Palo Alto

Palo Alto police kept up the search Thursday for an adult mountain lion and a cub spotted before dawn in a residential neighborhood of the city.

Police were called to the 1700 block of Webster Street at 6:20 a.m., shortly after a couple in a home on the street heard their Australian shepherds barking loudly and aggressively in the backyard followed by a deep growl from an animal they didn’t recognize, said Sgt. Brian Philip, a Palo Alto police spokesman.

They called their nextdoor neighbor, who has experience with wildlife conservancy. The neighbor searched the backyard and saw what he thought was an adult mountain lion and a cub in a 300-foot redwood tree behind the couple’s house. He went for a flashlight, but the animals were gone when he returned, Philip said. The dogs were unharmed.

Officers couldn’t immediately locate the mountain lions, but advised parents to drive their children to school as a safety precaution. Addison Elementary School, Jordan Middle School and Stratford School are within walking distance of the area where the lions were spotted.

Police also contacted animal control officers to assist in the search, and informed the California Department of Fish and Wildlife of the situation.

Mountain lions are known to be stealthy, but reports of them in residential neighborhoods on the Peninsula have been more frequent in recent years.

“They’re around more than you think,” Philip said. “When they are here, they are kind of on the move.”

Peter Tira, a spokesman for the wildlife department, agreed.

“The same kind of beautiful landscape that makes a nice place to live … also makes a great lion country,” he said. “We do receive a number of sightings. We don’t track

“The same kind of beautiful landscape that makes a nice place to live … also makes a great lion country.” Peter Tira, spokesman, state Department of Fish and Wildlife

them. We typically only intervene or take note if there’s a public safety threat.”

Police intended to patrol the neighborhood Thursday until the schools let out.

A Webster Street resident said she wasn’t bothered by the morning sighting.

“I don’t think it’s here. I think it’s moved on,” she said. “We’re not worried.”

A recent study suggests the large felines are fairly subdued among humans. A recent study of pumas conducted in the Santa Cruz Mountains revealed the cats run in fear at the sound of human voices.

California has reported 16 mountain lion attacks on humans since 1890; six resulted in death. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@ sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno