January | 2026 | Coyote Yipps

Alcatraz Coyote Survived Its Swim and is Thriving

27 Jan 2026 11 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in Coyote Swims to Alcatraz

A coyote walking along a rocky shoreline, with vegetation and water visible in the background. — *Photo taken by a tourist on Saturday, January 24th*

This Alcatraz Coyote update comes not from my own observations, but from what friends have sent me. This photo was taken by a tourist on January 24th, just about two weeks after the coyote made its swim, so he not only survived, but he is well and thriving.

Rangers apparently have come across a bird carcass which they are certain was harvested by the coyote.

I’ve heard that authorities are thinking of removing the coyote because of all the visitors. In my experience, the coyote should be left alone. He expended a huge amount of effort to reach the island. If he can survive there, we should allow him to, allowed to live the life he has chosen. We all know that relocation is detrimental to coyotes and many don’t survive. This coyote poses absolute no danger to people — he will stay away from them.

In addition, since he was born and raised in the dense urban area of San Francisco, you can be sure that he already is very used to people. Coyotes pass folks constantly in our parks, and often at close range: but they have no interest in interacting with us. They are wary of people and keep their distance, even if they don’t flee lickety split as some people might want them to.

So on Alcatraz, folks just need to be asked to keep their distance and NOT feed the animal, which would cause him to hang around closely to where the tourists are. The only thing we humans might consider doing is making sure there is fresh water when and if the rain puddles dry up.

Alcatraz is only about 22 acres in size, and basically a rock, only about .3 miles long from end to end. Territories in the wild wild tend to be 4 to 8 square miles each; in the city, territories are about 2.5 square miles each. Several tenths of a square mile is not big enough for the coyote to stay indefinitely. He’ll probably want to return to where he came from and then continue he dispersal journey from there.

Lets stand back, watch, learn, and be awed by our wildlife and their amazing survival skills. We don’t need to always control and interfere.

PS: If we can get a good facial shot, I might be able to tell what family he came from! I can identify most of the adult coyotes by their faces, which is what has allowed me to study their family life, and to map their territories here in San Francisco.

Aerial view of Alcatraz Island featuring historic buildings, greenery, and surrounding blue water. — *This is an aerial view of Alcatraz which stretches .3 miles in length (©klook)*

A news article appeared in the San Francisco Standard on January 27, written by George Kelly and Michael McLaughlin. I am honored by their recognition: https://sfstandard.com/2026/01/27/coyote-swam-to-alcatraz-san-francisco/

Hannah Ziegler wrote an article for the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/us/coyote-swims-alcatraz-san-francisco.html [And here is that same article unlocked if you don’t subscribe: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/us/coyote-swims-alcatraz-san-francisco.html?unlocked_article_code=1.I1A.Yt-u.ZruttuP-xP0l&smid=url-share]

Same Species, Different Behaviors, by Walkaboutlou

24 Jan 2026 Leave a comment

by yipps:janetkessler in individualized coyote behavior

Hi Janet,

Hope you are wintering well. It’s been a very mild winter here. Hardly any snow.

We did fenceline checks and found the scraps of an older dead buck. The landowners knew of him via trail cams and sightings. He came to this property about a month ago. He had been shot on public land, escaped here, and was healing, but very weak.

Trail cams and sightings also verified he was followed by local coyote pair, especially the male. These coyote scavenge deer who make woods after vehicle collisions. OR…they have also taken deer injured by cars or hunters. It’s just another facet of Coyote.

There is NEVER a situation really where one can say Coyote never or Coyote always do this or that. They vary in behaviors widely. It’s very situational. So…this buck was taken. The ground showed his last struggles. And the Coyote pair and pup feasted.

Another aspect of uniqueness-2 other coyote packs eventually came and ate. The coyote here maintain territory…but if a large prize dies, (deer or cow) surrounding packs or pairs or nomads DO come in temporarily. The landowner says sometimes it’s deceptive-locals swear there is a mega pack, but no. It’s local packs disputing.

Among the trespassers were Kinky Tail and her Mate and 2 large pups. [Readers, please type “Kinky Tail” into the search box of this blog for a handful of stories about this small intrepid female coyote!]

So…a local pair that take down compromised deer. And local packs converging on each other’s territory if a large feast is on the ground.

Take care,

Lou

PS-the youngsters tend to seek other youngsters during parents forays into other’s areas. The landowner thinks this is how many meet future partners.

Three dogs walking down a grassy path in a rural landscape with trees and hills in the background. — Fenceline checks

Two leafless trees with moss in a grassy landscape under a clear blue sky. — Fenceline checks

The deer, coyote, wolves, cougar, and working dogs, all use same trails. Thus all the local dogs and coyote and passing wolves, know each other’s scent. After 2 days and several packs of local coyote, very little left. Wolves leave NOTHING but rumen and hair. Coyote take longer and leave skeletal remains bit longer.

Jaws and Skull landowner keeping for biologist. Older buck, but his main handicaps were age but primarily, long term injury from bullet wound. The coyote trailed him off and on weeks. Then harvested him. The dogs detect and find the local going ons.But this is the coyotes and wolves homes and areas. We document and share info with local landowners trying to spread knowledge.

PS-The landowner contests many of the different packs in the 8,000 acre property, are related to degrees and sometimes can tell..who is related. He feels this has effect on behaviors…sometimes. [from Janet: I know this is true, because I can often tell when two coyotes are related, based on their looks!]

Mange Epidemic in San Francisco

23 Jan 2026 2 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in Uncategorized Tags: mange in san francisco

A grid of photographs featuring various coyotes, each labeled with names, ages, and territories. The images display the animals in different poses and settings, showcasing their natural behaviors and environments. — *These are many of the mange cases here in San Francisco that blossomed beginning in 2024. Before this date we had no substantial cases at all.*

Someone asked me how I knew that our mange cases picked up in 2024 and spread so quickly and only recently. About half the coyote population here in San Francisco has been affected. And I’m told by my rehabber contact, that it’s about this same percentage in other parts of the state of California. The reason I know that the phenomenon is new here, is because I’ve photographed almost all, if not all the coyotes in San Francisco since 2007. In 2015 I began posting a MAP of their territories, and mange was not an issue at that time. The malady just wasn’t here on any measurable scale until 2024, when over the course of the next two years it seemed to have spread everywhere. Again, I have my thousands of photos as a testament.

Mange has become an epidemic in San Francisco’s coyotes, approaching close to half of our population. CA Fish & Wildlife technically “owns” these animals in trust for the public, but isn’t outright helping them.

CDFW prohibits feeding/harassing wildlife, a law I support. But it allows no exceptions, even for treating mange. Coyotes with mange can be safely treated in the field by placing medication in food and monitoring until the targeted animal eats it. Even licensed rehabbers would be breaking the law here in California, though it is allowed in other states. Can CDFW please fix the policy gap so that these animals can be helped?

As a result, private individuals have stepped in to help, because it is the right thing to do. It is wrong to watch animals suffer and die when the remedy is simple. I support these people, though it would be far better if their efforts didn’t have to happen quietly.

A coyote walking on a paved surface, displaying a mix of brown and gray fur, with distinctive features and a curious expression.

A coyote standing beside a streetlight on a paved area, surrounded by foliage.

Some claim the coyote population is “exploding.” I’ve been monitoring multiple territories and have not seen this. Some territories have split, and there are temporary interlopers, but there is no population boom.

Coyotes are highly social individuals who live in nuclear families which *own* their own exclusive territories. The population naturally increases during pupping season, then returns to the basic two breeding parents and a few yearlings who help raise the next litter. About 30 coyotes are killed by cars each year — cars are effectively their main urban predators — and they are dying from mange.

More sightings don’t mean more coyotes. Rather, people have become more aware and are looking for them. Social media amplifies the perception of sightings. Some coyotes are more active during the day because they’ve habituated to people and dogs. AND, mangy coyotes stand out: without fur, they can’t thermoregulate and THEY SEEK SUNLIGHT DURING THE DAY. **NOTICE HOW MANY SIGHTINGS INVOLVE MANGY ANIMALS.**

At the same time, stress seems to be involved when it comes to mange. “Mange is still an issue with Yellowstone wolves, during stressful times of year, and it’s entirely possible for them to naturally heal if it doesn’t overtake more than 40% of their body.” My rehabber friend continues, “We see it here with squirrels during the spring/summer when the stress of breeding/having babies/finding food taxes their immune system. They too can naturally heal.” Since mange didn’t become an issue until 2024 here in San Francisco, I’m wondering if the *stress* from population pressure that has reached its saturation point might be involved in the outbreak.

Another study suggested that we have mange outbreaks cyclically every 30 to 45 years. Is this true? Here is the source for that quote: “In North America, populations of red foxes, coyotes, and gray wolves appear to experience epizootics every thirty to forty-five years (Pence and Windberg, 1994 (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6599944/#bib147)).”

I was horrified to read this posting on NextDoor only two days ago, posted by Richard Drury on January 20th: “Dog poison at Stern Grove! Someone left a large box of raw meat at Stern Grove dog park — on the hill near Vale Street and Palos Place. My dog ate a bunch of the meat before we could reach him. We took him to the vet and found that the meat was laced with rat poison. The vet pumped his stomach and gave him medications. I think he will be okay. But beware.” Apparently pest companies have access to rat poison which has been banned from sales in stores here in San Francisco EXCEPT to these pest companies that use it profusely at institutions that hire them: old age home facilities, schools, apartment buildings, even the VA. The pest companies will tell you they are using milder forms of the poison so that other animals aren’t hurt. My rehabber contact says, “BS, poison is poison.”

Below is an explanatory poster from the National Park Service about mange. While individuals can’t buy rat poison in the city, pest control companies use it extensively in apartments, schools, nursing homes, and other facilities.

Poster from the National Park Service

Coyote Swims to Alcatraz!

14 Jan 2026 8 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in Coyote Swims to Alcatraz

This video is not mine; rather I want to give a shout out to Aidan and Dan in Alcatraz City Tours, AND Jonathan Lemon who shared it with me. This video was taken about January 11th, and there haven’t been any sightings since. My fear is that this daring and intrepid coyote will (has) probably not survived.

We don’t know how long he might have been swimming in those frigid waters — it’s not something he, nor we humans, are equipped to do for very long. The distance is a little over a mile as the crow flies, but this doesn’t account for the frigidity of the water, nor the strong current that the Bay is known for. The water conducts heat away from our bodies and drains life-sustaining heat out of us if we aren’t able to bring up our body temperature quickly. So you see this coyote shivering and barely able to walk when he gets to the shore.

To live, and even more so, to turn back, he has to hydrate himself, nourish himself, and warm himself up. But there is no running water available on Alcatraz, unless the big storage tanks where imported water is kept, leak. BUT, water can also be obtained from seasonal rains and there has been plenty of heavy rain recently. Birds drink rain directly as it falls, or from puddles that collect in the rocks. Jonathan let me know that there are puddles now that are six inches deep. Fish and marine mammals such as seals and sea lions also may provide food-based hydration, but catching one is a long shot for a coyote, and a coyote, whose energy, warmth, hydration is completely depleted, might not have the energy for finding this stuff.

The Island is full of rats, mice, banana slugs and birds, so if, if, if, he/she survived the first few nights, he/she has a good chance of surviving.

We don’t yet know the outcome of this migration, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this one, after all that effort, will be sighted soon. Please let me know if you hear any updates!

As Jonathan suggested to me, maybe it’s time to expand my map! We indeed already have a family living on Angel Island!

A coyote navigating rocky terrain near water, showcasing its fur and lean body as it explores the coastline. — *Coyote completes his trip! We’ll have to wait and see if he recovers from the effort required to make the crossing, and then if he’s able to* reap the resources that exist there: rain water, rodents, birds, and banana slugs!

Death

05 Jan 2026 8 Comments

by yipps:janetkessler in death, death of a pup

Emily texted me: “sick coyote”. I hurried over. He was lying in the rain, barely moving, a young fellow, 9 months old. He didn’t notice me or any of the dog walkers nor their dogs. This would be the end of the road for him.

He had severe mange: the fur he retained was as dried out as his skin. He was emaciated: under 20 pounds. His tail looked like that of an opossum from the distance — compare this to the fluffy full tail of a healthy coyote. He had a number of deep, open wounds. I’m not sure if these came from scratching or wounds inflicted by dogs or even his own family. I’ve never seen family members attack a sick family member, rather, I’ve seen them allow the individual to remain — alone — in a protected area, and I’ve watched them visit on a regular basis, checking up on the individual.

I don’t know how long he had been there, but he obviously had gotten there on his own. It was a mulch pile which generates heat. Did he go there to warm himself up and possibly save himself, or did he know this was the end of the road, and opt for the most comfortable exit possible for himself? OR, since it was out in the open, might he have placed himself at the mercy of dogs and people who might have quickened the process?

I don’t know the answers, but while he was there, he must have realized at some point that this was the end. He was not aware of his surroundings, as attested to by his ignoring my close presence. I hurried away when he raised his head a couple of times — that’s when I took these first two photos. As he slowly put his head down, his head shivered because of the cold rain. It was a soft rain as I watched, but earlier it had come down hard. His head soon folded over onto his body with closed eyes. He twitched an ear occasionally, and then he started moving his limbs, as if running. I counted his breaths — once every 40 seconds.

During this entire time, I was in contact with two rehabbers. As I described the situation and coyote, we concluded this coyote was beyond help. Did we want to allow him a natural death out in the environment? We decided, because of the dogs, and because the coyote had already entered a delirium state — as indicated by his dream “running” behavior — that removal and euthenasia was the best choice. They aren’t allowed to euthanize in the field, so we asked if he could be sedated before being carried off, and we were told yes.

However, the crew came with no medications. But they were gentle, picked him up with a couple of towels over his body and that’s when I left. A rainbow came out, and then the drizzle continued. If he had not been picked up, I would have guarded him until he took his last breath, but that might have been several more hours.

Mange has been big in San Francisco for the last couple of years. We are told that rat poison is the cause: that ingestion of rat poison weakens immune systems and allows the mange to spread. Mange apparently is present in all canids, but is held in check by healthy immune systems. We are trying to get folks to stop the use of rodenticides in the city. Unfortunately, it’s institutions that continue to use the poison supplied to them by pest management firms. Although the sale of rodenticides has been banned in the city, these pest management firms use it profusely.

The law actually forbids rehabbers from helping mange infested coyotes. The law, created by CAFW, states that you cannot “feed” coyotes. Although there is an easy medication that can be administered in the field without interfering with a coyote — Bravecto — because of this law, rehabbers have to be careful, for their own existence, in administering this kind of medication. We have only one rehabber in California who is licenced to administer medication in the field. We are fortunate to have Good Samaritans — willing to take a chance — no different from our underground railroads or the resistance in helping families escape from the Nazis — to help out. I support these people. It’s the morally right thing to do. Unfortunately, the little fellow in this posting was not reached in time.