Animals Taking Over Cities

With much of the world on lockdown due to coronavirus, normal daily activity has come to a halt. In some places, animals are taking advantage of the absence of humans and roaming empty streets. Whether they’re searching for food or just enjoying some expanded freedom, animals taking over cities is a fascinating and entertaining sight. (1) 

One of the earliest examples was reports from the citizens of Venice, Italy that the water in the canals was clear. Fish and ducks could be seen since boats weren’t traveling through the canals. Some believe this is because boats stir up silt in the canals. Without them, the water remains clear. (1)

In Wales, a herd of 122 wild Kashmiri goats has wandered into the town of Llandudno. Normally, they live on Great Orne, a limestone headland, and only leave it during bad weather. Llandudno residents think the goats got curious about the lack of activity in the town and came for a visit. They decided to stay, and people have photographed the goats wandering the town center and eating flowers and hedges. (1)

Another wild sight has been packs of wild boars roaming the streets of Barcelona, Spain. It’s not unheard of to see a wild boar in European cities. But it’s incredible to spot them exploring in such large numbers. (1)

Looking for Food

Some animals that are usually fed by tourists are wandering cities in search of new food sources. The sika deer who live in Nara Park in Japan are used to being fed by people. Since the park has been abandoned, the deer are wandering through streets and subway stations looking for food. (2)

The monkeys in Lopburi, Thailand are in a similar situation. Accustomed to receiving their meals from tourists, the monkeys are competing with each other over scraps of food. (2)

Seth Magle, who directs the Urban Wildlife Institute at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, said not to worry about animals like the sika deer and monkeys. In an interview with The Guardian, he explained that the animals would adapt to this new situation, just like they adapted to humans feeding them in the first place. (2)

Wildlife Getting Bold

The animals we see out and about aren’t too far from home. They’re just being a little bolder than usual. (2)

Magle told The Guardian, “Normally, animals live in the parts of our cities that we don’t use. It makes them an unseen presence, kind of like ghosts.” (2)

Although it may seem like animals are taking over cities, it’s unlikely that nature will take over civilization while humans are on lockdown. But there will be understated changes, like foxes and coyotes emerging more frequently from their hiding places. And those changes provide excellent opportunities to observe wildlife while we’re on walks or looking out the window. (2)

“If anything, these times may serve as a reminder that animals have always lived in our area,” Magle said to The Guardian. “We may not think of our cities as a part of nature, but they are.” (2)