San Francisco Wildlife: Coyotes, Sea Lions, Whales, Parrots and Safety

San Francisco is wilder than it looks. Coyotes live in the city’s parks, raccoons and foxes work the Presidio, sea lions haul out along the waterfront, gray and humpback whales pass offshore, and wild parrots fly over Telegraph Hill. This guide sticks to what the City, the Park Service, NOAA and the Presidio Trust say, and lists what we could not confirm.

Land Mammals

Information as of 30 October 2026. A source that gives a range or a park list is not a sighting count; “may be” is deliberate.

• Coyote

  Where and when, per the sourceSan Francisco Recreation and Park says coyotes are native to the city and repopulated it in recent decades, eat mostly rodents, and are most active early morning and evening. It says attacks on people are virtually unheard of. The Presidio Trust says coyotes help keep rodent and raccoon numbers in check and that moving them elsewhere does not work, because they return. Rec and Park says coyotes den in several city parks and warns about 18 parks and picnic areas, April to August, when pups are being raised. Presidio Trust closed parts of the Park Trail and Bay Area Ridge Trail to dogs from March 27 to early October 2026 for pupping season.

  Safety noteLeash dogs outside dog play areas, pick up small dogs, keep cats indoors and secure garbage, fruit and pet food. If a coyote does not leave, make eye contact, look big, shout and wave your arms, and do not run or turn your back (Presidio Trust). Report unusual coyote behavior to Animal Care and Control, 415-554-9400. Feeding wildlife is illegal.

  SourceSF Rec and Park: urban wildlife; SF Rec and Park: coyote warning; Presidio Trust: coyotes; Presidio Trust: trail closures

• Gray Fox, Red Fox, Raccoon, Striped Skunk, Opossum

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service lists Virginia opossum, gray fox, red fox, striped skunk, raccoon and fox squirrel among the Presidio’s most commonly sighted mammals, along with several bat species. Muir Woods and the Marin Headlands lists name raccoon, skunk, gray fox and opossum too.

  Safety noteThe Park Service says any mammal can carry rabies, and bats, feral cats, raccoons, foxes and skunks are more likely to. Do not touch, approach or feed.

  SourceNational Park Service: Presidio mammals; National Park Service: Muir Woods animals; National Park Service: safety

• Black-Tailed Deer

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service names black-tailed deer among mammals of the Marin Headlands and Muir Woods, across the Golden Gate. It says deer are no longer present in the Presidio.

  Safety noteWatch from a distance.

  SourceNational Park Service: Marin Headlands; National Park Service: Presidio animals

• Bobcat and Mountain Lion

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service says bobcats have returned to coastal scrub and grassland in Marin and San Mateo counties, and that mountain lion sightings regularly occur in undeveloped areas of those two counties. We found no page placing either animal inside the city of San Francisco. The state agency says mountain lions are solitary, eat mostly deer, and attacks on people are rare.

  Safety noteHike in groups, keep children close, do not run, face the animal, stay upright and look big. If attacked, fight back, and report sightings (Park Service). Mountain lions treat dogs as prey.

  SourceNational Park Service: Golden Gate mammals; CA Fish and Wildlife: mountain lion; National Park Service: lion safety

• River Otter and Harbor Seal (Marin Headlands)

  Where and when, per the sourceNamed among Marin Headlands mammals, with humpback and gray whales offshore.

  Safety noteKeep your distance.

  SourceNational Park Service: Marin Headlands

Marine Mammals and Sea Life

• California Sea Lion

  Where and when, per the sourceNOAA says sea lions range from southwest Alaska to central Mexico and use beaches and rocky coves and also marina docks, jetties and buoys. Males bark. The Marine Mammal Center says its docents staffed the sea lion viewing area at Pier 39’s K-Dock for most of 2023 and that its presence there ended January 12, 2024.

  Safety noteStay 50 yards away and watch 30 minutes at most. Do not feed, leave pups alone, and report sick or entangled animals.

  SourceNOAA: California sea lion; Marine Mammal Center: Pier 39

• Harbor Seal

  Where and when, per the sourceAmong the most common West Coast marine mammals. Seals haul out on rocks, reefs and beaches; the caterpillar-like movement on land is normal, and pups swim within minutes of birth.

  Safety noteStay 50 yards away, watch 30 minutes at most, and do not try to help an animal yourself; report strandings to NOAA.

  SourceNOAA: harbor seal

• Northern Elephant Seal and Steller Sea Lion

  Where and when, per the sourceNOAA says elephant seals molt on land from March to August and the largest colonies are at the Channel Islands; that page does not name San Francisco. The Greater Farallones sanctuary says elephant seals gather on beaches in winter and that it holds one of the southernmost US populations of threatened Steller sea lions.

  Safety noteStay 50 yards away and never approach or feed.

  SourceNOAA: elephant seal; Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

• Gray Whale

  Where and when, per the sourceNOAA says eastern North Pacific gray whales travel between Baja lagoons and the Arctic, southbound in fall and northbound from mid-February to May along California. The sanctuary says grays pass near shore in winter and northbound whales continue until June.

  Safety noteStay 100 yards from large whales (NOAA).

  SourceNOAA: gray whale; Greater Farallones: seasons of the sea

• Humpback and Blue Whales

  Where and when, per the sourceNOAA says Mexico and Central America populations of humpbacks feed off California; the Central America population is endangered and the Mexico population threatened. The sanctuary says humpbacks and blue whales feed offshore from March to August and humpbacks are there again September to November.

  Safety noteStay 100 yards from large whales, from the sea or from land. Report sick, entangled or dead whales and do not approach.

  SourceNOAA: humpback whale; Greater Farallones: seasons of the sea

• Harbor Porpoise and Pacific White-Sided Dolphin

  Where and when, per the sourceNOAA says harbor porpoises range from central California to the Beaufort Sea, are not endangered or threatened, and are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The sanctuary lists Pacific white-sided dolphins among the animals it protects.

  Safety noteStay 50 yards from dolphins and porpoises (NOAA).

  SourceNOAA: harbor porpoise; Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

• White Shark

  Where and when, per the sourceThe sanctuary says adult and subadult white sharks gather in the Gulf of the Farallones each fall, roughly August to November, mostly between Tomales Point, Ano Nuevo and the Farallon Islands, and eat mostly seals and sea lions.

  Safety noteNo safety note on the page.

  SourceGreater Farallones: white sharks

• Leopard Sharks, Bat Rays and Jellies

  Where and when, per the sourceThe sanctuary says leopard sharks and bat rays appear in bay waters in winter, and jellies wash up on beaches in winter. We did not read a page about sea nettles.

  Safety noteNo safety note on the page.

  SourceGreater Farallones: seasons of the sea

Birds

• Western Snowy Plover

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service says this federally threatened shorebird overwinters at Ocean Beach and Crissy Field Marsh.

  Safety noteKeep dogs and people out of any posted area. We did not read the Ocean Beach rules.

  SourceNational Park Service: Golden Gate birds

• Peregrine Falcon, Red-Tailed Hawk, Brown Pelican

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service names all three among Marin Headlands birds and says raptors pass along the Pacific Flyway. Peregrines dive on prey along coastal cliffs. The Presidio Trust lists the red-tailed hawk among Presidio wildlife.

  Safety noteWe do not publish nest or roost spots. The Park Service’s brown pelican wording is older; check the current status with the Fish and Wildlife Service.

  SourceNational Park Service: Marin Headlands; National Park Service: Golden Gate birds; Presidio Trust: wildlife

• Owls

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service says the northern spotted owl, a federally threatened species, is found in Muir Woods, and that the western screech-owl is declining locally and found in the Presidio.

  Safety noteStay on trails and out of closed areas.

  SourceNational Park Service: Golden Gate birds

• Black-Crowned Night-Heron

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service says it breeds on Alcatraz.

  Safety noteAlcatraz visitors should follow posted closures.

  SourceNational Park Service: Golden Gate birds

• Seabirds: Tufted Puffin, Common Murre

  Where and when, per the sourceThe sanctuary lists more than a quarter-million breeding seabirds and names tufted puffins and common murres as key species; puffins nest on the Farallon Islands from March to August.

  Safety noteThe islands are offshore; we did not read an access rule.

  SourceGreater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary; Greater Farallones: seasons of the sea

• Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

  Where and when, per the sourceA PBS page calls the flocks “Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” and says they are slowly spreading to other parts of the Bay Area, including Brisbane. The page does not name the species, origin or count.

  Safety noteDo not feed wild birds.

  SourcePBS Independent Lens

• Waterfowl and Herons at Golden Gate Park Lakes

  Where and when, per the sourceRec and Park describes Blue Heron Lake as a wildlife-viewing spot, North Lake birdlife and Mallard Lake as a waterfowl sanctuary, and says there are resident turtles at Metson Lake.

  Safety noteAlgae toxins in North Lake can harm people and animals; stay out of the water and avoid scum.

  SourceSF Rec and Park: Golden Gate Park lakes

Reptiles, Amphibians, Insects and Fish

• Mission Blue Butterfly

  Where and when, per the sourceBay Nature says it is federally endangered (listed 1976), the original population lived on Twin Peaks, that population nearly vanished by the early 2000s, and butterflies from San Bruno Mountain have been moved there since 2009. It needs lupine. Bay Nature is not an agency.

  Safety noteStay on trails; the butterfly depends on lupine.

  SourceBay Nature: mission blue

• San Francisco Garter Snake

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Fish and Wildlife Service says it is endangered (listed 1967) and lives only on the San Francisco Peninsula, from the San Francisco and San Mateo county line to northern Santa Cruz County, mostly now on the San Mateo coast. It eats frogs; illegal collecting is a threat. The page does not place it inside the city.

  Safety noteNever collect or handle one.

  SourceUS Fish and Wildlife Service

• Frogs, Newts, Salamanders, Pond Turtles, Banana Slugs

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service lists red-legged frog and California newt at the Marin Headlands, and garter snakes, newts, salamanders, western pond turtle and banana slugs at Muir Woods. The Presidio Trust names the California slender salamander and banana slug. The Presidio Park Service page says snake sightings there are rare.

  Safety noteDo not touch banana slugs; the slime numbs the lips (Park Service).

  SourceNational Park Service: Marin Headlands; National Park Service: Muir Woods animals; Presidio Trust: wildlife

• Tidewater Goby, Coho Salmon and Steelhead

  Where and when, per the sourceThe Park Service says tidewater gobies live in Rodeo Lagoon in the Marin Headlands, and names coho salmon and steelhead at Muir Woods.

  Safety noteLeave fish and stream life undisturbed.

  SourceNational Park Service: Marin Headlands; National Park Service: Muir Woods animals

Where to Watch

These places have an official page that names the animals.

• Pier 39, K-Dock: the sea lion viewing area, per the Marine Mammal Center (the Center no longer staffs it). See Marine Mammal Center.
• Golden Gate Park lakes: Blue Heron Lake, North Lake and Mallard Lake (Rec and Park).
• Ocean Beach and Crissy Field Marsh: snowy plovers in winter (Park Service).
• Marin Headlands and Muir Woods across the bridge: deer, coyotes, foxes, raptors, and whales offshore (Marin Headlands; Muir Woods).
• Greater Farallones: the sanctuary’s seasonal wildlife calendar (seasons of the sea).

Staying Safe Around Wildlife

Each note below comes from the agency it names, read 30 October 2026. Check the current rule with that agency before you rely on it; general guidance is labelled as such.

• Do not feed wildlife. Feeding any wild animal is illegal in San Francisco parks (Rec and Park), and feeding marine mammals is illegal (NOAA).
• Coyotes: leash dogs outside dog play areas, keep cats indoors, and haze a bold coyote with noise and a big posture. Respect trail closures and park warnings.
• Marine mammals: NOAA says stay 50 yards from seals, sea lions, dolphins and porpoises (pets included) and 100 yards from large whales, watch for 30 minutes at most, and keep drones away. Harassment violates the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Report harassment to the NOAA hotline, 800-853-1964 (NOAA viewing guidelines; distances).
• Rabies: the CDC says bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes are the wild animals most often found with rabies. After a bite or scratch wash it with soap and water and get medical care right away (CDC).
• Ticks: the Park Service says about 1 percent of adult and 3 percent of nymph ticks at nearby Point Reyes carry the Lyme agent. Use repellent and check your body (Point Reyes safety).
• Mountain lions (Marin side): do not run, face it and look big (Park Service).

What We Could Not Verify

• Whether bobcats or mountain lions live inside the city; the sources place them in Marin and San Mateo counties. Local sightings not confirmed.
• Pacific rattlesnakes, great horned owls, great egrets, great blue herons in city parks, Anna’s hummingbirds, rabbits, Dungeness crab and sea nettles: we did not read a page that covers them for San Francisco.
• The species and number of the Telegraph Hill parrots, and where elephant seals haul out near the city.
• Current brown pelican status and Ocean Beach snowy plover rules. Check with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Park Service.
• Whether the Presidio’s trail closure for coyote pupping is still in force, and whether Rec and Park’s coyote warnings have changed. Check with the Presidio Trust and Rec and Park.
• Access rules for the Farallon Islands, and any official viewing spot for Twin Peaks mission blues. Check with NOAA and the Fish and Wildlife Service.

More San Francisco Guides

Wildflowers and native plants are next door: read the San Francisco wildflowers and plants guide. Seeing animals with children? Read where to see animals in San Francisco with kids and the Lands End trail guide. Browse all topic guides, San Francisco history or neighborhood guides. The Presidio and Golden Gate Park pages list their own events on the events calendar.

Facts are as the sources state them, read on 30 October 2026.