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Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

sfgate.com

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Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#121

Post by dhanna »

as-j wrote: post #37

As an early morning runner in SF, I see coyotes in SF every week or two, including at Twin peaks as mentioned in the article. One morning in Golden Gate Park I warned a few people walkings dogs since there were about 4 coyotes around the corner. From my first hand experience, I'd assume any wooded area with cover in SF has a coyote living there.

I'd see Coyotes relatively often when I'd go on insomnia walks through Outer Richmond and Golden Gate.

They were pretty small though. I wouldn't want my Yorkie near them, but they were more like an oversized Fox.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#122

Post by eweise »

cleandreams wrote: post #102
emptybits wrote: post #92

Here in Vancouver there are social media accounts of cougar tracks on a beach and in a park. Unconfirmed. Unlike coyotes here (common)[1], or bears and deer (occasional), cougars are virtually unheard of near populated areas so this is notable if true. Yes, yes, cue the "preying on young men in bars" jokes... :-P [1] http://stanleyparkecology.ca/conservation/co-existing-with-c...

A security camera in SF caught a cougar on video a few years ago.

We've had quite a few cougar sightings up here in the north bay but its rarer now with all the watering holes closed.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#123

Post by clairity »

keeganpoppen wrote: post #56
52-6F-62 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are even pretty regularly seen around Toronto still. Normally they're just fine. They prefer to keep distance, but it's best to keep an eye. Any bold behaviour usually means they're hungry, which can lead to desperation. Them and raccoons, those devils.

haha-- i've heard this in reference to raccoons many times, and i've always wondered: what kinds of things to raccoons get up to that earn them such a universal designation (condemnation?)? like, surely even though a coyote technically doesn't impose (much of) a physical threat, it is more threatening than a raccoon... i do know that they are terribly fond of pulling lids off trash cans, etc., so i assume the annoyan…

they're super cute, but will claw and bite you viciously if threatened. there used to be a couple in my neighborhood in LA and i'd hear them fighting sometimes (when not raiding trash cans). they're also a rabies vector. but generally, they'll leave you alone if you leave them alone.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#124

Post by mc32 »

rodgerd wrote: post #117
as-j wrote: post #37

As an early morning runner in SF, I see coyotes in SF every week or two, including at Twin peaks as mentioned in the article. One morning in Golden Gate Park I warned a few people walkings dogs since there were about 4 coyotes around the corner. From my first hand experience, I'd assume any wooded area with cover in SF has a coyote living there.

I took the opportunity to visit Glen Canyon Park last time I was in San Francisco, after a local recommended to me, and it was a wonderful interlude in my visit; they had signs up noting that there would be coyotes about at twilight; alas I was there mid-day and didn't get to see them. I did, however, get to see hummingbirds for the first (and so far only) time in my life.

That’s a great place for hikes. It’s got a seasonal creek and small wetlands. They’ve got signs posted about the local wildlife you can expect see. It’s a shame dogs aren’t limited to a given area as they drive away some wildlife.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#125

Post by hadlock »

I've seen coyotes in Buena Vista, and in october, Anza Vista (the hill just west of lower fillmore district). Seems like there is plenty of food in the area. In Dallas, Texas I would regularly see coyotes in the park.

Coyotes are generally quite meek around humans. You weigh 150 lbs and are 5' tall (or taller) they are perhaps 70 lbs wet and 26" at the shoulder. If you so much as make eye contact with them, they'll generally leave immediately.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#127

Post by thaumaturgy »

russell_h wrote: post #120
ChuckMcM wrote: post #110

Just wait until the mountain lions and brown bears start prowling around looking for snacks :-) For folks further out into the 'human/wildlife interface' as the Forest Service calls it (or the 'cafeteria' as I call it) sightings of all wildlife is up. Some friends who retired out in Brentwood[1] (not the LA neighborhood, the town outside of Livermore CA) They now have nearly continual deer presence and multiple daily…

For what it’s worth, there aren’t thought to be any brown bears left in California; the closest ones are in Washington or maybe Idaho.

This is largely a matter of local lexical confusion. In the US, "brown bear" can mean two things: a black bear with a brown coat (ursus americanus), or a grizzly (ursus arctos horribilis, which makes me giggle every time).

Across the pond, "brown bear" probably means ursus arctos arctos, a cousin of our own more foul-tempered beasties.

But when a Californian says "brown bear", usually they just mean a brown-coated black bear (https://bear.org/black-bear-color-phases/).

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#128

Post by cushychicken »

russell_h wrote: post #120
ChuckMcM wrote: post #110

Just wait until the mountain lions and brown bears start prowling around looking for snacks :-) For folks further out into the 'human/wildlife interface' as the Forest Service calls it (or the 'cafeteria' as I call it) sightings of all wildlife is up. Some friends who retired out in Brentwood[1] (not the LA neighborhood, the town outside of Livermore CA) They now have nearly continual deer presence and multiple daily…

For what it’s worth, there aren’t thought to be any brown bears left in California; the closest ones are in Washington or maybe Idaho.

Idaho. There hasn't been a confirmed grizzly bear sighting in Washington since the late 90s. They're presumed to be extinct in WA.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#129

Post by hadlock »

outworlder wrote: post #44
chrisco255 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coyotes have already done an excellent job of coexisting with humans. They are one of the most successful species at adapting to human civilization. Pigeons, rats, roaches, etc. also quite successful.

> Coyotes have already done an excellent job of coexisting with humans I have only seen them being 'successful' if are large tracts of land around the cities that they can live at. Would they be able to live in, say, Manhattan? If not, as we expand the urban sprawl, they might become less successful... And coyotes are not the only species we should be worried about.

Coyotes are very common in Dallas. I've seen then in the park 2 miles from downtown Dallas. Dallas is a concrete suburban hell for ~30 miles in all directions.

Dogs were domesticated by hanging out near humans. Seems like Coyotes are following the same general pattern from thousands of years ago.

Re: Coyotes are being seen on the empty streets of San Francisco

#130

Post by frosted-flakes »

chrisco255 wrote: post #83
outworlder wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Coyotes have already done an excellent job of coexisting with humans I have only seen them being 'successful' if are large tracts of land around the cities that they can live at. Would they be able to live in, say, Manhattan? If not, as we expand the urban sprawl, they might become less successful... And coyotes are not the only species we should be worried about.

Manhattan is quite the edge case. It's one of the densest areas on the planet. I don't think that's a good model for development. Sprawl in the U.S. is more of the suburban variety and there coyotes do thrive quite well. They don't even need large tracts of land. They are fully capable of burrowing in little pockets of green space. See: https://urbancoyoteresearch.com/coyote-info/general-informat...

That is such a neat website, and very interesting research.
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