“I said, ‘No, no, no, it must have been a sea lion.'”

Coyote Shocks Alcatraz Staff After Swimming to the Island

What began as an ordinary morning on Alcatraz Island quickly turned into something no one there had ever witnessed before.

Earlier this month, staff member Aidan Moore was greeting visitors on the dock when a guest rushed over with unbelievable news: he had just seen a coyote swimming in the bay.

“I Thought It Was a Sea Lion”

Moore admits he didn’t believe the visitor at first.

“I said, ‘No, no, no — it must have been a sea lion,’” Moore told The Dodo. “We see sea lions in the bay all the time.”

But the guest insisted — and then showed him a video. On the screen, a coyote could be seen paddling through the cold water and climbing onto the rocky shoreline.

“I still didn’t believe him until I saw the video myself,” Moore said. “And then I was like, ‘Wow, that’s a coyote.’”

A Swim No One Expected

Moore immediately alerted the island’s rangers. To their knowledge, no coyote had ever made the journey from the mainland to Alcatraz before.

The swim would have required crossing 1.25 miles of open water in frigid 50- to 55-degree temperatures. For humans, that trip can take nearly an hour.

With strong currents and natural instincts, however, it may have been just possible.

“Coyotes are part of the dog family, and dogs are naturally good swimmers,” Moore explained.

How Did the Coyote End Up There?

No one knows for sure what pushed the animal into the bay. Moore suspects the coyote may have been chasing something near the shoreline and accidentally fallen in, only to be carried away by the current.

Whatever the cause, the swim clearly took its toll.

“He looked very bedraggled and shaken after the swim,” Moore said. “My hope is that he’s holed up somewhere, warming up and getting his strength back.”

A Search Still Underway

Since the video surfaced, staff have searched the island but haven’t been able to locate the coyote. Alcatraz has been temporarily closed for urgent maintenance, which has slowed efforts.

Once the island reopens, rangers plan to continue looking.

There is food and shelter available on the island, which may help the coyote survive in the meantime.

A Second Chance Awaits

Staff hope the story ends with a safe rescue.

“The likelihood is he’ll be captured and returned back to the mainland,” Moore said. “So he’ll go back to where we think he’s come from and be given a new lease on life.”

Until then, the mysterious swimmer remains one of Alcatraz’s most surprising visitors.