Photo by Natures Lantern
Thanks to David who snapped these shots of the some coyotes puppies playing around in Golden Gate Park today. Too cute!
Sarah B.
Photo by Natures Lantern
Photos: Coyote pups in Golden Gate Park
Photo by Natures Lantern
Photo by Natures Lantern
These are cute pictures.
But its kind of irresponsible and dangerous to get this close to the pups (or potentially encourage other to do so); the parent coyotes could be aggressively protective.
Peter, telephoto lens.
Aaaaawww–too awesome!
It is nice to post these pictures but these animals should be left alone. Last time we had pups in gg park, they died after we killed the mother I believe. Let’s not endanger their life. Good photos
Naming contest!
Conflict is inevitable. Living out here for 2 years, I’ve noticed that the coyotes are becoming more and more emboldened. Don’t get me wrong, I love the critters. But with the new wave of pups coming in (5 I think), GG and Land’s End will have hit its limit. The City should have a proactive plan to deal with it. More dog/coyote encounters than ever before will be in the cards…
I want all of the coyotes to stay but if it does put the city over the limit for what it can handle- is there any way to relocate coyotes to Point Reyes? I just don’t want another one ever shot. Does anyone know if this is being thought about? Gosh they are the cutest.
they’re all cute and that, but wait until they start eating your housepets (cats, small dogs) and then, you all will be singing a totally different tune.
I’m unconvinced these pups are in Golden Gate Park. The second photo, the angle indicates the photo was taken from a significant height above the pups, looking down at about 45 degree angle. It looks a *lot* like a photo taken in a zoo.
Young Mischief Makers – Just wait, we haven’t heard and/or seen the last from these guys. Tag & ID all GG coyotes.
But very nice photos, David! Thanks for sharing.
Didn’t SF put the coyotes in GGP? My only question is what are they going to eat? (they don’t eat grass and plant leaves) my only reason for asking is strictly for their benefit, I don’t want them to face starvation, disease and death.
@Gary- no SF did not put the coyotes in the park- They arrived on their own…first in the Presidio and then GGP.
Coyotes are opportunists- and will eat whatever they can find- mostly smaller animals- rodents, rabbits, cats, geese etc..but also garbage.
There is a limit to how many the Park can handle- and if they do not regulate themselves through dispersal, death etc…they will have to be managed.
Ok thanks Thor. I just hope for the animals sake it doesn’t start to get out of hand and ugly.
ooh I love these sweet guys. It seems like re-releasing them to Pt. Reyes would be a good solution, I hope neighbors can coexist, but its true, it seems dangerous in the city for them, cars, pet dogs, etc.
Please, please let’s relocate the coyotes to a safe habitat far from the city. They do not belong in city parks.
There are plenty of critters for them to eat in the park otherwise they would not have moved there. I hope too that they can be trapped and moved before someone decides to kill them all.
On monday, my dog was nipped by a coyote and drew a little blood while we were walking along a path at Land’s End. I can’t blame the coyote. It was hiding in the brush and the natural curiousity and sensing of my dog let it to snoop to close to the coyote– unbenownst to all parties. The coyote did what was natural and instinctive.
I feel that this could create some natural friction and eventual doom for a wild carnivore in an urban setting. Not sure what to do. Even if i do not return there with my dog, someone else will be there as well.
Unfortunately, unless we close off the Land’s end, we will not be able to eliminate these confrontations. Or ban dogs– which I AM not a proponent of. This is a city.
Good luck to all parties. (And I did bring my dog to the vet and she does have up-to-date rabie shots).
Very cute! Wonder if the mother/father was off putting together an ACME catapult? 8^P
MEEP MEEP!!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151782200950444&set=a.10151782181225444.859061.500055443&type=1&theater
Discourage coyotes from getting close to you! 😀
“Make loud noises & throw rocks …. IF attacked fight back aggressively” :@ Avoid eye contact “@@”
Ja, I am STAYING AWAY … WILD IS WILD!!!
Coyotes do not belong in GGP. They need to be relocated out of the urban environment. Or shot. Sounds tough, but it is irresponsible to let the coyote population run wild in a large urban park.
Perhaps they will will be driven out of GGP by the loud volume of the Outside Lands Festival.
I have seen many coyotes in the East Bay Hills and have never heard of any incidents there, or experienced aggressive behavior toward myself or my big dog (now deceased). So I wonder why the GG Park coyotes have a reputation for being aggressive.
Does anyone know of East Bay incidents?
And, an unrelated question, how old are the pups in the photos? It is still May and they look older than 2 months!
Relocation does not work. There are no areas where they could survive that do not already have established coyote populations. They would be killed by the other coyotes as intruders.
Eliminate conflicts with pets by keeping pets out of the park. Dogs are a major problem in San Francisco. There are way too many of them, and they’ve invaded spaces needed by wildlife, such as beaches for shorebirds and Golden Gate Park for coyotes. People have taken over way too much land and we need to give some back to wildlife. Golden Gate Park for coyotes would be a good start!
Folks, many of you are not experienced animal people so your fear and privileged attitude shows with easily. You cannot relocate coyotes all studies shows.. Please don’t turn into.the.same trolls found on most comment boards. Ask questiins and do.some researxh first. For.chrissakes, you’re already on the web in a browser already.
No need to worry about over-population at this point. The kids grow up and they leave — they leave the city, just like you did when you left home. I’ve seen them do it. I know of three San Francisco parks that had more than double the coyotes they have now.
As for “boldness”: hunting or walking around in their territories should not be considered “boldness”. Often, a coyote’s only “crime” is that a human has seen it. The “bold ones” are those of us who intrude on them, or allow our dogs to do so. If we respect their space and allow them a wide berth, there won’t be any problems. Most people think it’s totally cool to have this wildlife return to our cities. Unfortunately we are taking out much of their habitat: they like thickets and underbrush — almost all of which is non-native — in which to escape.
No need to worry about over-population at this point. The kids grow up and they leave — they leave the city, just like you did when you left home. I’ve seen them do it. I know of three San Francisco parks that had more than double the coyotes they have now.
As for “boldness”: hunting or walking around in their territories should not be considered “boldness”. Often, a coyote’s only “crime” is that a human has seen it. The “bold ones” are those of us who intrude on them, or allow our dogs to do so. If we respect their space and allow them a wide berth, there won’t be any problems. Most people think it’s totally cool to have this wildlife return to our cities. Unfortunately we are taking out much of their habitat: they like thickets and underbrush — almost all of which is non-native — in which to escape.
@janet. Yes “boldness” is exactly what I meant. As wild animals they are losing their fear of both humans and dogs. I have no doubt I’m witnessing this over the last 2 years. Just as with bears, it’s never a good thing when wild animals lose their fear of humans. Strolling towards humans in the middle of the afternoon in an open field just 10 yards away is “boldness” for a wild animal. I have experienced such a scene directly both with and without my large dog, far from a den.
@Jeff: Your extreme position and solution has no place in a reasoned discussion here, sorry.
@Mistofthecity: Did you ever consider most people suggest relocation out of compassion and not fear?
My husband worked in the park as a gardener, and he said these guys have been here for years. I also saw a coyote at lands end andi asked them to put up a coyote sign at the beginning of the trail and I did not see one on monday. There is a coyote project that tries to work with coyotes in urban settings. How many coyotes have really hurt people and or dogs in a urban setting.? Animal control is in charge of these animals in sf.
@Nancy: I’ve seen coyote signs by the main parking lot and as well by the Legion of Honor. I’m more worried for the coyotes than little children or dogs. My dog is 100 pounds large and has regretfully learned that the coyotes don’t want to play. Lord knows what will happen during the next encounter. :/
If you don’t want your dog to get nipped, keep it on a leash.
We have more of a problem with errant dogs than errant coyotes.
How many pit bull attacks in the city?
How many coyote attacks in the city?
I have never had a coyote run into my bicycle in the park and cause me to wreck and fall down. This only happens with unleashed dogs. How many dog owners have apologized to me after hitting their dog? I am still waiting for that to happen. Live long and prosper coyote pups!
Cute, but coyotes don’t belong in GG Park. Perhaps in the Presidio, but not in GG Park. Nothing good will come of it in the end.
I like that we have coyotes in SF. I understand that relocation is not really that great of an option. I would just prefer them having a chance at being relocated rather than having the mother killed and pups run over again… That was truly depressing.
Coyotes > gophers.
Hi Mike — Anthropomorphizing the behavior of the coyotes is not going to help you understand them — what you construe as “boldness” is simply orienting behavior which is a perfectly natural and appropriate response to other animals that are in their vicinity. Please consult an animal behaviorist before making generalized assumptions that invariably are incorrect.
@Janet: Using the work “emboldened” in no way anthropomorphizes coyotes. That’s a laughable and patronizing idea. And what “generalized assumptions” exactly are you referring to?
There is a reason why rangers shoot rubber bullets at grizzly bears in Montana. This is called adversive conditioning. In this way, bears won’t become EMBOLDENED to approach humans and common human trafficked areas. What part of this concept do you not understand?
Since when does typical coyote “orienting” behaviour include APPROACHING humans (not small rodents or dogs) within 10 yards? I’ll repeat, the coyotes have become more emboldened (i.e., less fearful) of humans (and possibly their dogs).
As the coyote population increases, this will increasingly become a problem. Again, I’m not complaining about the coyotes, I’m simply sharing my observations over the last couple of years and sharing my concerns about a prospective increase in coyote/human/dog conflicts. Is what it is.
Nothing laughable or patronizing about it. Obviously, if you were fearless and courageous – which, by the way is what “emboldened,” means – you would approach objects or animals you “ought” to be afraid of – so, you are in fact attributing your own emotions and characteristics onto the coyote – that IS anthropomorphizing. How do you know what is going through the coyote’s mind – unless you are a coyote? How on earth do you know what anyone is feeling or thinking without assuming that they are feeling the same emotions as yourself, because you see a similarity between you and other people? I’m simply saying that there are very distinct motivational responses that coyotes exhibit that have nothing to do with human emotions or characteristics i.e. courage or fearlessness. Unless you have the credentials to back up what you are saying – I would give it a rest. It’s your kind of thinking that generates bad management decisions. By the way, this is not simply my opinion – if you have time, pick up some scientific literature so that you can make more “informed” comments.
@janet: So unless I am a coyote or a credentialed expert, my direct observations on the behavior of human-habituated coyotes contain no merit? My observations on their behavior over the last few years stand. So does my belief that the frequency in conflict is all but guaranteed.
You are entitled to your observations for what it’s worth, after all, it is a free world. However, your reasoning on coyote motivation bears ABSOLUTELY no scientific merit. Have a nice day.
All baby animals are adorable, but do remember these are wild animals and respect them as such.
If you don’t want to create “problem coyotes” don’t do anything that would make them comfortable approaching people – feeding them, leaving garbage easily accessible, etc.
From now thru August Mama Coyote is extra hungry because she is feeding those 3 little darlings – so bear that in mind.
How well we can coexist is still an open question.
Relocation no matter how disruptive is the only answer. Relocate the people and their dogs out of the park. Problem solved.
@John: anywhere other than the Bay Area and I might think you’re joking. Fortunately, most of us will read it as sarcasm.
If anyone wants to relocate anything out of GG park, why not relocate all the homeless who camp/live in the park?
Let’s keep this topic on four-legged coyotes please, thanks.
Sarah B.
On topic, Please relocate the human campers/squatters and people who break the law by letting their dogs run off leach, so that the wildlife can enjoy what little sanitary that is left in the bay area.
Note to Administrator. By wildlife I mean non persons and not domesticated animals, including but not exclusive to “four-legged coyotes”.