Alcatraz Coyote Wasn’t a City Boy After All

SAN FRANCISCO - After months of fieldwork and scientific analysis, National Park Service researchers have determined that the coyote that drew international attention in early 2026 after swimming to Alcatraz Island likely started his epic swim from Angel Island State Park.The coyote's whereabouts remain unknown, but new DNA evidence has helped park staff answer one of the biggest questions surrounding the unusual sighting: where he came from."We are surprised by the coyote's origin," said park service wildlife ecologist Bill Merkle. "Our working assumption was that the coyote made the swim from San Francisco because it is a significantly shorter distance. We couldn't help being impressed by his accomplishment in making it to Alcatraz. Coyotes are known to be resilient and adaptable, and he certainly demonstrated those qualities."Soon after the animal was spotted on Alcatraz in late January, park biologists launched a coordinated effort to learn more about the visitor. Staff surveyed the island for tracks, installed trail cameras and audio recording devices, and collected samples for laboratory testing.Coyote scat collected on the island was sent to the UC Davis Mammalian and Ecology Unit of the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory for DNA analysis. Results confirmed the coyote was a male and matched him to Angel Island's coyote population."Three distinct coyote populations could have been the source of the Alcatraz coyote, San Francisco, Southern Marin, and Angel Island," said Dr. Ben Sacks from UC Davis. "Our lab was able to take the DNA sample and match it to a coyote previously sampled from the Angel Island population."Following a Jan. 24 visitor sighting and photograph documenting the coyote on Alcatraz, park staff began monitoring the island for signs of its presence. Biologists found fresh coyote tracks and scat in the days after the sighting and installed trail cameras and audio recording devices to detect additional movement. Despite months of follow-up monitoring, the coyote was never seen again or his presence captured on the recording devices.Researchers were particularly interested in locating the coyote because of Alcatraz's role as seabird nesting habitat. Staff were prepared to safely capture and relocate the animal to more suitable habitat within Golden Gate National Recreation Area.Despite extensive searching, there is no evidence the coyote is still on Alcatraz Island, and no remains have been found. "We don't know what happened to the coyote," said Merkle. "But he proved himself an expert swimmer to get to Alcatraz, and I hope he made a successful swim back home to Angel Island."nps.gov

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