When most people think of San Francisco, animals typically aren’t the first things to come to mind. However, the city is full of incredible creatures, from the flocks of wild parrots who frequent parks and neighborhoods to the noisy sea lions who call the bay home. Coyotes are also an elusive piece of the city’s ecosystem, though they’ve only been spotted on the mainland—until now.
There are many islands in San Francisco. Bay, but Alcatraz is the most famous. In the past, the island served as both a fort and a prison, though today it is a historical landmark that attracts thousands of visitors each year. It was one of these eagle-eyed visitors who spotted a coyote swimming to the island’s shore on January 11, possibly for the first time ever.
The poor coyote looked exhausted after an endless swim. Although they stood and panted on the rocky shore for several minutes, the wild animal quickly disappeared just as quickly as they appeared. Fortunately, the person who spotted them captured a video of the coyote’s stressful ordeal.
Aidan Moore, who works as a guest relations employee for Alcatraz City Cruises, would not have believed the guest’s claims without the video evidence. He quickly called in the sighting to Alcatraz park rangers, who couldn’t find the animal again.
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It’s a mystery where the animal came from or how they got so far, but Moore spoke with the cruise captain, who theorized that the afternoon’s strong currents may have played a role. As Moore told SFGate, “I suspect he fell into the water chasing something and was swept away.”
As much as commenters like @vss2023 hoped “somebody helped [the coyote] back to the mainland,” the animal’s fate remains as unclear as its origins. Even though a family of coyotes has recently established a home on Angel Island, another island in San Francisco Bay, it’s most likely that this individual came from the city itself.
San Francisco Coyotes
Wild animals like coyotes have always been part of San Francisco’s landscape, especially in the city’s lush parks. Recently, a group of coyotes was seen playing in Golden Gate Park, with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in the fog behind them. These animals couldn’t have chosen a more picturesque place to call home!
Although it’s nice to see animals thriving in a city environment, seeing coyotes in unusual places—like on Alcatraz—is a sign they’re running out of space. One-of-a-kind animal encounters like this one may be special, but they’re also essential reminders that we’re sharing our planet with countless species who deserve to be here just as much as we do.
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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Jan 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.