Alcatraz Island isn't known for its wildlife, but earlier this month, guests witnessed a rare moment —a coyote swimming onto the shores of the notorious prison island.
The coyote wasn't chasing a roadrunner, nor was it attempting to return after a failed escape from the former maximum-security federal prison; it's unclear why the coyote appeared on the island.
Aidan Moore, a musician and guest relations representative for Alcatraz Island and the National Park Service, shared the moment a guest alerted him about a coyote that had emerged from the ocean.
"My first response was that I thought they were joking or misidentified it as a sealion because we get those quite often," Moore said. "Then I saw the video and thought, 'Wow, I don't think that's ever been seen here before.'"
Videos captured by guests around Jan. 11 show the coyote a few hundred feet away from the shoreline as it slowly paddles across the San Francisco Bay. Once the coyote makes its way onto the shore, it can be seen shivering and paralyzed from the frigid bay winds.
Based on the angle of the video, it appears that the coyote may have traveled from the San Francisco mainland, which is over 1.3 miles away from Alcatraz Island.
However, Moore believes the coyote may have fallen into the ocean from Angel Island and got caught in the tides. Angel Island is about two miles away from Alcatraz Island. Although Angel Island isn't known for being a haven for coyotes, over the last decade, wildlife scientists have reported sightings of coyotes on the island.
"About eight years ago, coyotes appeared on Angel Island. How did they get here?" reads a social media post on theAngel Island State Park's Facebook page. "Our best hypothesis is that they doggy paddled the mile across the formidable current of Racoon Strait from Tiburon to Angel Island."
In 2024, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimated that at least 14 coyotes lived on Angel Island.
Regardless of where the coyote originated from, Moore described the situation as "the most exciting thing" Alcatraz Island had seen in ages.
"I called the situation into the rangers, but the rangers could not find it," Moore said. "I'm hoping that it got himself off the rocks and comes out somewhere safe where he can rest and recuperate."
As of Jan. 20, Moore didn't know the coyote's status or condition, as the island has temporarily been closed for dock repairs.
"We're hoping that it'll reopen this week," Moore said. "When we get there, we may find some evidence of hunting and him, hopefully."
Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him atnpadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadillaor on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social.Sign up for theTODAY Californian newsletteror follow us on Facebook atTODAY Californian.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:A coyote was caught on camera swimming onto Alcatraz Island