"It was a sight that prompted even seasoned wildlife watchers to do a double take: A coyote swimming in San Francisco Bay a quarter of a mile off Angel Island. "I was surprised because it was so far from land," said California State Parks environmental scientist Bill Miller, who saw the coyote last month while aboard a boat bound for the island. At first he thought it was a seal or a sea lion. Then he saw the pointed ears."
"The canine's snout sliced determinedly through the water as it dog-paddled along, before eventually turning around and swimming back to Angel Island. Staff at Angel Island State Park posted a video of the unusual encounter to Instagram, prompting concerned comments from people who assumed the coyote was in distress. Miller had the same thought at first, but the coyote appeared to be a strong swimmer, he said."
"This wasn't the first time a coyote has attempted to make the mile-long trip across Raccoon Strait between Angel Island and the town of Tiburon in Marin County. At least one of those voyages was successful. Before 2017, there is no record of coyotes ever existing on the island. Scientists are now studying about 14 coyotes that live there, all of them related, to see how they interact with the island's once-plentiful mule deer."
A coyote was observed swimming about a quarter-mile off Angel Island in San Francisco Bay and then returned to the island. California State Parks environmental scientist Bill Miller saw the animal from a boat, initially mistaking it for a seal or sea lion before recognizing its pointed ears. Staff posted video to Instagram and viewers expressed concern, but the coyote appeared to be a strong swimmer and State Parks said it does not interfere with wildlife. Coyotes first reached Angel Island by water in 2017; scientists are now studying roughly 14 related coyotes on the island to assess interactions with once-plentiful mule deer. The initial swimmer appears to have crossed alone, and a second canine followed about a year later.
Read at Los Angeles Times
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]