Deer cross a road in Nara, Japan, where groups of deer have begun foraging in the city's residential ... [+]
Topline: A pair of whales were filmed playing off the coast of France this week, an unusual sight near the usually busy Marseilles port, the Associated Press reported—just the latest example of wild animals wandering without inhibitions as the humans they usually avoid stay inside under coronavirus lockdowns.
- The two fin whales were spotted Tuesday near Calanques National Park by park patrol; the park’s board head, Didier Reault, told AP it is “very, very rare” for fin whales to venture that close to shore, and it’s likely due to the decrease in human water activity.
- Last month, a herd of mountain goats went viral online when they were recorded roaming through the streets of Llandudno, Wales.
- In Thailand, a swarm of hungry monkeys descended on a plaza in Lopburi, home to the Phra Prang Sam Yot monkey temple, in early March—usually fed by visitors, the macaques ventured out into town in search of food after the number of Chinese tourists, Thailand’s most substantial demographic of visitors, fell 85% in February.
- When Japan instituted coronavirus restrictions, deer from a park in Nara, Japan, usually fed by tourists, were spotted walking through the streets, eating potted plants off of patios and even wandering the halls of a subway station in search of food.
- Wild turkeys made their way onto the campus of an elementary school in Oakland, California, while classes were canceled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
- Coyote sightings have been reported in multiple states across the U.S., as they prowl empty streets looking for food.
Crucial quote: “It is clear that the lockdown of humans is helping nature and biodiversity rediscover their natural spaces,” Reault told the AP. “With the lockdown, nothing is happening, it is dead quiet. And animals, be they fin whales or other marine species, are clearly rediscovering their confidence and peace, allowing them to come closer to shore.”
Renault added that he hopes people will see animals roaming more freely during the pandemic as people are at home and think more about how animals are affected by human activity, saying, “We should tell ourselves that if we want to keep seeing (nature), we must know how to respect it.”
Key background: The coronavirus pandemic has infected 1.5 million and killed nearly 90,000, as of Thursday. Some evidence suggests that pets like cats and dogs are susceptible to the virus. The World Health Organization is investigating several cases, including a tiger becoming infected in the Bronx Zoo.
