Coyotes are swimming all the way to San Francisco's Angel Island

TIBURON, Calif. —

Staff at Angel Island State Park were on one of their morning boat runs last week when they came across an unusual sight.

As a seagull soared over the deep water, they noticed the creature’s head first, assuming it must be a seal. When its large ears came into view, however, they realized it was no marine mammal, but one of Angel Island’s resident coyotes , paddling across Racoon Strait in San Francisco Bay and headed in the direction of Tiburon. The canine made about a half-mile round trip journey before eventually turning back and climbing to shore at Ayala Cove, park interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee told SFGATE.

“Swimming here seems like a bit of a fluke,” she said. The chance encounter captured on camera provides a glimpse into Angel Island’s elusive coyote popul