Two coyotes now call Bernal Hill home, and sometimes they 'frolic'

A pair of coyotes feasting on a raccoon in San Francisco's Bernal Height's neighborhood in September 2018. "Although the male wouldn’t let the female eat," says Jane Wattenberg who took the photo. "He growled and chased her (lightly) away when she attempted a morsel." less A pair of coyotes feasting on a raccoon in San Francisco's Bernal Height's neighborhood in September 2018. "Although the male wouldn’t let the female eat," says Jane Wattenberg who took the photo. "He growled ... more Photo: Jane Wattenberg Photo: Jane Wattenberg Image 1 of / 39 Caption Close Two coyotes now call Bernal Hill home, and sometimes they 'frolic' 1 / 39 Back to Gallery

A lone coyote has long made San Francisco's Bernal Hill home, but in recent weeks people have seen two coyotes roaming this rocky summit rising above the city's south side.

Chris Colin spotted the pair earlier this month on an evening hike. "First we saw one and suddenly this other one came out," says Colin, a resident of the Bernal Heights neighborhood. "It looked like its doppelgänger."

The coyotes played and jumped around on one another. "They just sort of bounced around on this little hill," he says. "They were frolicking."

Coyote sightings are common in San Francisco and wildlife biologists believe 40 to 70 animals are colonizing the urban landscape, building their dens and raising their young in pockets of vegetation tucked among the neighborhoods.

While coyotes can be pack animals, in San Francisco they most often live alone or in pairs. However, in recent history a pair hasn't been recorded on Bernal Hill until now, according to Deb Campbell, a spokesperson for San Francisco Animal Care and Control.

Campbell says they started receiving calls about the two coyotes two weeks ago.

"No incidents have been reported," Campbell says. "People are just telling us they're there."

VIDEO: Bernal Hill is now home to two coyotes

Pups born in the spring begin leaving their mothers in the summer and dispersing to new areas. Campbell believes this second coyote could be a male pup forming a pair with the original coyote who is thought to be female.

Jonathan Young, an ecologist for the Presidio, agrees this could be a new pair, but he also has another idea.

"This is just my spitball idea, but it's very possible it could be distant cousins," says Young. "A lot of the coyotes in San Francisco are all related to one another."

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Young tracks the small population of coyotes living in the Presidio and he says the new animal living in Bernal didn't come from the Presidio.

Campbell says the coyotes won't pose harm to the neighborhood as long as people don't feed the animals and keep a distance. "Let them remain wary," she says.

Also, cats should be kept inside and dogs should be kept on leashes while walking on the hill.

"Don't let your dog chase the coyotes," Campbell warns.