Urban Wildlife in New York City

Authors

John HadidianFollow

Abstract

New Yorkers celebrate and enjoy a “surprising” renaissance of wildlife. Coyotes have been observed in Central Park, and beavers, salamanders, and leopard frogs have been seen in Staten Island, bobcat, mink, and fox have appeared in the Bronx (including a new species of leopard frog), and sea turtles and a baby seal have turned up in Queens. Wild creatures that have not been recorded in the Big Apple for “decades” are returning and making it home.

These returns are not just good news; it is excellent news. Any time a major metropolitan area can celebrate the return of an extirpated wild species, it demonstrates that the quality of its environment is improving and moving in a positive direction. As a growing body of scientific literature now indicates beyond refute, nature in the city is good for the health and well-being of its people, making every incremental advance toward greener relevant and significant.

Recommended Citation

Hadidian, John (2021) "Urban Wildlife in New York City," WellBeing News: Vol. 3: Iss. 9, Article 3.
Available at: https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/wbn/vol3/iss9/3