NYT: Unto the City the Wildlife Did Journey

[DeepModem Mom]

Unto the City the Wildlife Did Journey
By ANDY NEWMAN
Published: May 29, 2006


(Sue Moga)
A moose was spotted in the suburbs of New York City.

And the great beasts came down from the mountains and crossed the seas and descended upon the cities — the hind and her fawn, leaping fences in the southeast Bronx; the black bear, stout but fleet of foot, stealing through the streets of Newark; the seals of the harbor sunning themselves by the score upon the hospital ruins of Staten Island.

And the coyote prowled the West Side and took up quarters in Central Park. And the dolphin beached itself on the Turuks' sandy yard in Throgs Neck. And the she-moose, 21 hands high, strayed within 30 miles of the city gates.

And the wise men stroked their beards and scratched their heads, and they finally declared, "This is not normal."...

***

The factors include both environmental triumphs and travesties. Once-threatened species continue to recover because of conservation measures. Waterways are cleaner. Greenways are being built in and around cities. At the same time, development in the farthest exurbs chews up land and flushes animals from their usual homes. Mild winters, possibly man-made, are easier for many species to survive.

All of it adds up to a new definition of normal. (Or perhaps an old one. After all, the animals were here long before the people were.) Just as the suburbs have spent years negotiating conflicts with wild animals, it is now the cities' turn....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/29/nyregion/29animals.html

[Mythsaje]

1. In the west, the coyotes are in every urban center...

It's just that we don't see them very often. They're VERY good at remaining undetected, and even if they are seen, most people mistake them for a dog.

[eleny]

3. I've seen them in our yard just west of Denver

We're in an older suburb and have irrigation ditches here for watering. The water attracts coyote and fox.

[NYC]

2. Moose in swimming pool.

Not many years ago, I saw a video of a moose who entered a swimming pool in a Canadian backyard, went for a short swim, then exited.

I have no idea how to find this.