San Francisco Content

Alcatraz Coyote Wasn’t a City Boy After All

Katherine E Kerlin — May 05, 2026 - 1:19pm

After months of fieldwork and scientific analysis, National Park Service researchers have determined that the coyote that drew international attention in early 2026 after swimming to Alcatraz Island likely started his epic swim from Angel Island State Park.

The coyote’s whereabouts remain unknown, but new DNA evidence has helped park staff answer one of the biggest questions surrounding the unusual sighting: where he came from.

Endangered-Mouse Study Shares No-Contact Sampling Method

Katherine E Kerlin — September 19, 2022 - 10:00am

Collecting genetic samples for small mammals can be tricky, but UC Davis scientists found a noninvasive way to do it for San Francisco's endangered salt marsh harvest mouse.

Clams and Water Pumping Explain Phytoplankton Decline in San Francisco Estuary

Katherine E Kerlin — April 08, 2019 - 4:27pm

A combination of invasive clams and water pumping explains the drastic suppression of phytoplankton in the San Francisco Estuary, according to a study from the University of California, Davis.

Previous studies linked fish declines in the estuary in part to a limited supply of phytoplankton. These tiny microscopic algae make up the base of the food web: Fish eat zooplankton, which eat phytoplankton.

Sea-Level Rise and the Governance Gap in the San Francisco Bay Area

Katherine E Kerlin — June 27, 2017 - 4:12pm

Most San Francisco Bay Area policymakers understand that sea-level rise is a serious threat to the region, agree that preparing for it should be a priority, and have a basic understanding of solutions that would help the region adapt to sea-level rise.

But they do not agree on who should lead a coordinated planning effort to address it. A visioning task force could help move the process forward, according to a report from the University of California, Davis, which analyzes this governance gap and suggests steps forward.

UC Davis Anthropologist and Team Identify Remains of 19th Century Toddler

Kimberly L Hale — May 10, 2017 - 4:13pm

An ordinary home remodeling project on an ordinary spring day in San Francisco turned out to be anything but ordinary on that May day a year ago. That was the day when a contractor discovered the metal casket of a mummified child while excavating the backyard of the Karner family in the Lone Mountain neighborhood.