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| Wild Mountain Goats |
Wherever we turn, the news is about Covid-19
-- its horrors and deaths and the fearful people trying to avoid it. The virus’s movement and effects are inescapable,
as are conflicting opinions about how to treat and end it.
We could drown in the stories of how
people are (or aren’t) coping with shelter-in-place directives; how they’re
getting along (or not) with those in the same place; and what they’re doing to
occupy themselves. At this point, there
can’t be much news about waiting out Covid-19 at home.
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| Sea Turtle |
So let’s change the subject to what’s been
happening with animals during this period. Since we recently talked about coronavirus
and both our pets and wild animals in Asian “wet markets,” let’s look at other wild
animals in the news.
“Wild animals re-take their world”: that headline got my attention! It seems that as people retreated inside,
leaving streets and towns virtually empty, animals moved in – or rather, back.
Coverage told and showed delightful
tales of wild animals suddenly free to wander unmolested in areas they’d been
squeezed out of.
“For centuries, humans have pushed
wildlife into smaller and smaller corners of the planet. But now, with billions
in isolation and city streets emptied, nature is pushing back.”
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| Water Buffalo |
What a thrill to see the video of a herd
of wild mountain goats running through a town in Wales, snacking from flower boxes
and bushes as they traveled. And buffalo
on a highway in India. And whales spotted
back in what had been Mediterranean shipping lanes.
Wild boar showed up on streets in
Barcelona, deer grazed on lawns in London and on closed Brazilian beaches, baby
sea turtles hatched and made their way to the sea – not interrupted or harmed,
but free.
You go, guys!
Meanwhile, in zoos . . .
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| Egyptian Cobra |
And then, alas, there are animals in zoos
– involuntarily, they’re already sheltering in place. But caring for them must continue even when
the facility is closed.
Given short-staffing and limited supplies,
some care has become harder to provide. Non-emergency
procedures may be on hold because social distancing can be impossible
when it takes more than one person to work on an animal.
For the same reason, some animals too
are on hold – think large animals like elephants, and dangerous ones, like venomous
snakes. Since they’re susceptible to
human viruses, anyone even near zoo primates must wear a mask. Same with anteaters, who are vulnerable to
human influenza.
So, different rules and challenges for
different animals.
It could become tough to feed those who
rely on a small variety of foods that could become scarce. Platypuses, for one, prefer “yabbies’,” or
crayfish – live. Their keepers hope to
get them used to substitutes including frozen crayfish. Koalas need eucalyptus, which could be held
up by supply line interruptions.
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| Koala |
And if fresh sea water from the Gulf of
Mexico becomes impossible to obtain for residents of one aquarium located near
industrial sites, there’s “Instant Ocean,” dry sea salt and minerals in a box.
Zoos
are cruel, unnatural places for wild animals -- one comment on the newspaper story
read: "Nothing is learned from watching animals in captivity except that is
okay to keep animals in captivity."
But
at least these captive animals are being cared for during the pandemic.
Helping wild animals
You may want to help a wild
animal in need, but how? Turn to a
wildlife rehabilitator who’s trained and qualified to care for injured or
orphaned wildlife. The Animal Protection
League of NJ offers a rehabber list showing those who can help during the
pandemic. Here’s the link to refer to,
or to print and post.
This Wednesday, April 22, is Earth Day –
its 50th anniversary!
#
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