Lately I’m hearing coyotes howling at night and a crazy chorus of birds in the morning. I smell skunks who were nearby just recently and watch whole families of raccoons scuttling across empty streets. Clearly something in nature is feeling the impacts of humans staying in their homes. You’re closer to this feeling than I am: what’s the word in the world of the wild?
- Peter in San Francisco
Dear Peter,
As an indoor cat, I am somewhat removed from the world of outdoor animals. Nemo used to be my connection to that world, and everything I know is from his stories. Every time we'd meet, he'd bring updates from the skunks and raccoons that roam the area. He didn't connect much with the birds since they were understandably afraid of him. However, every once and a while he'd have a conversation from beneath a tree with his bird friend, Crow. Somewhat recently, he recounted a conversation they'd had:
Nemo was doing his neighborhood rounds, when he heard a "caw" as he turned the corner on Russia Avenue - in live bouquet of freshly blooming magnolias, Crow was perched confidently above him.
"Pink is your color," Nemo smiled.
"It's not too feminine?" Crow laughed. "I wouldn't want it to detract from my imagine as a bird of prey."
At this point in the story I interrupted Nemo to ask if pink would look good on me too. Nemo hardly paid me any compliments, and it made me slightly jealous that he did so for a bird. Nemo affirmed that yes, pink would complement me as well, and then continued his story.
Crow told Nemo that when he flies over the city, everything seems slower and emptier. "Usually, we'd lose a dozen of our kind in a week to cars, but this last week no one has perished. The cars aren't on the roads like they used to be. It feels like a balance is being restored. The animals are living more freely and openly."
"This means coyotes are probably in places they usually avoid too." Nemo realized.
"Yes, I've seen them on major streets. Be careful." Crow confirmed.
Nemo thanked Crow for her account, and asked that she keep him updated.
That was the last I heard from Nemo about the animals. It does seem that something has changed, and the outdoor animals have become braver and more open. Sometimes I wish I could go out there and see it all for myself, but the idea of braver coyotes frightens me a bit.
Anyway, hope that account brings some clarity. Wherever Nemo adventured off to, I'm sure he'll learn more about the situation. I hope he makes it back safely.
XOXO,
Bubbles
That makes sense. Thanks, Bubbles.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
Peter