Coyote Spotted on Alcatraz Likely Swam to Former Prison Island, But There's a Twist
A lone coyote was first spotted in January by visitors who saw the exhausted animal paddling toward the rocky shores of Alcatraz.
The New York Post reported that witnesses captured video footage and described the animal as cold and visibly fatigued after battling the bay’s frigid currents.
This coyote has become the center of an extraordinary wildlife mystery after biologists revealed the animal swam nearly two miles through the rough waters of San Francisco Bay to reach Alcatraz Island.
The discovery stunned researchers, who originally believed the animal had made a much shorter journey from the San Francisco shoreline.
The coyote that managed to swim to Alcatraz Island earlier this year likely made the epic journey from Angel Island State Park, not San Francisco as previously presumed, the National Park Service said. https://t.co/lILimcihKz pic.twitter.com/B0H8qSvJID
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) May 5, 2026
DNA testing of scat collected on the island confirmed the male coyote likely originated from Angel Island State Park rather than San Francisco itself. That finding doubled the estimated swim distance and transformed an already unusual wildlife sighting into a remarkable survival story.
Dr. Ben Sacks at the UC Davis Mammalian Ecology and Conservation Unit (MECU) explained that “Three distinct coyote populations could have been the source of the Alcatraz coyote: San Francisco, Southern Marin, and Angel Island,” and he continued saying “Our lab was able to take the DNA sample and match it to a coyote previously sampled from the Angel Island population” as reported by KRON4.
Videos captured during the incident quickly spread online, drawing international attention and raising questions about how the predator managed to survive such a dangerous crossing. Alcatraz is surrounded by swift currents and icy waters long considered hazardous even for experienced swimmers.
A coyote made famous after swimming to Alcatraz Island in January recently gave scientists another surprise as they discovered where he came from. https://t.co/S4neihUpfH pic.twitter.com/LnFCdowyKT
— KRON4 News (@kron4news) May 5, 2026
Wildlife ecologist Bill Merkle said the feat demonstrated the species’ resilience and adaptability.
Merkle said “We don’t know what happened to the coyote . . . But he proved himself an expert swimmer to get to Alcatraz, and I hope he made a successful swim back home to Angel Island.”
According to park officials, coyotes are known to swim occasionally, but a crossing of this distance in open bay waters is considered highly unusual.
The journey also carried symbolic irony because Alcatraz earned its historic reputation as an “inescapable” prison largely due to the same waters the coyote successfully crossed.
Merkle said researchers have found no remains and no recent evidence proving the animal is still on Alcatraz. Scientists now suspect the coyote may have returned to Angel Island using the same route it traveled initially.
Tourists visiting Alcatraz continue to ask park rangers about the mystery animal months after the sighting. The story has added an unexpected wildlife chapter to an island already famous for criminal legends and daring escape attempts.
For now, the coyote’s ultimate fate remains unknown. But its extraordinary swim across one of America’s most treacherous bays has already secured its place as one of the most unusual wildlife stories of the year.
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