Wild Animals Take Over Major Cities While People Shelter in Place
Since the humans are away, the wild animals have come out to play.
Cities, states and countries across the globe have issued stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders to try to protect citizens from the coronavirus, leaving these places practically barren.
It’s no surprise that animals are running amok given that a third of the world’s population is experiencing some form of government restriction, according to Business Insider.
All sorts of mammals have taken the opportunity to roam through streets and cities that are usually quite busy. People are taking videos and pictures of these animals wandering unbothered through once-populous areas.
Around 100 deer were seen wandering around Nara, Japan, in late March, Yahoo News reported. According to the AP, the deer are usually fed by tourists around the city, but now that people are staying inside, they can’t count on as many handouts.
Oh deer—Does, stags and fawns wander through the streets of Nara, Japan where the animals are known for their presence in the city.
For AP’s full photo gallery: https://t.co/C2Z9fmxa9f pic.twitter.com/MDQaWd6k0m
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) March 24, 2020
East Londoners also spotted a herd of deer lying down near houses in a suburban area. Harold Hill, Romford, is usually a busy area, but the deer were lying undisturbed in the grass amid the U.K.’s stay-at-home order.
While the goats in Llandudno are getting all the publicity, how about a shout out for these deer who have colonised the empty streets of Harold Hill in east London? pic.twitter.com/sOZs4Tqf25
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) April 1, 2020
But deer aren’t the only animals taking advantage of the quiet. In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, an alligator was caught on video wandering around a shopping center that was closed because of the coronavirus.
“Nature’s already beginning to reclaim this little bit of Myrtle Beach.”
One South Carolina resident captured an alligator nonchalantly taking a trip to a vacant mall as shops are closed during the coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/9DiTrttm4s pic.twitter.com/O1vxREZhRk
— ABC News (@ABC) April 4, 2020
The BBC reported that over 100 mountain goats had wandered into Llandudno, Wales. The goats have been drawn into the town by the lack of people, and are now entertaining the locals.
Llandudno has had some unusual visitors! Mountain goats have been making the most of the town’s quiet streets. ?https://t.co/YmdwweGEGO pic.twitter.com/1FQIlxBpms
— ITV Wales News (@ITVWales) March 31, 2020
There have been a number of wild boar sightings in Europe. The animals have been seen roaming the streets of Paris as the capital of France endures national lockdown; Yahoo included a photo of a wild boar walking around a town in northern Italy with its babies in tow.
Wild pigs seen roaming the empty streets of Paris since the lockdown went into effect. All these wild animals showing up again because we halted our traffic… makes you think pic.twitter.com/vmwfcq3OO4
— Ok Boober (staying inside) (@TheGallowBoob) March 23, 2020
Humans aren’t the only ones fighting against food shortages because of the pandemic; exotic animals are also feeling the strain. On March 10, a woman captured a video of a horde of monkeys running through the streets of Lopburi, Thailand.
Khaosod English reported that the temple where the monkeys live had experienced a substantial drop in tourism, which made it more difficult for the monkeys to find food.
They subsequently ventured into the city to find something to eat, where they fought with another tribe of monkeys. People laid out food in the streets for the hungry animals following the altercation.
As if monkey stampedes weren’t odd enough, Chilean locals spotted a puma wandering through the city of Santiago’s streets. Chile’s Agricultural and Livestock Service said the puma came down from the nearby hills into the city to look for food, Fox News reported.
#Puma defies #quarantine to wander around downtown #Santiago#Chile pic.twitter.com/lGamgd8RSe
— Ruptly (@Ruptly) March 24, 2020
The animals’ time enjoying public spaces, however, may be numbered. With many European nations experiencing a downturn in cases, humanity may be reclaiming their streets sooner than later.
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