Pelicans pass a boy on a scooter in London's St. James' Park on April 27. Pelicans have called the park home for centuries.
With cities on lockdown, animals are finding more room to roam
Pelicans pass a boy on a scooter in London's St. James' Park on April 27. Pelicans have called the park home for centuries.
John Sibley/Reuters

Published 3:36 PM EDT, Fri May 1, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has left empty spaces everywhere. People are staying at home and avoiding crowds to slow the spread of the virus.

The void is being filled, in many places, by wildlife.

With less human traffic, emboldened animals are exploring areas where we are not always used to seeing them. Or maybe they just have more room than usual.

Mountain goats <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/31/europe/wild-goats-wales-streets-lockdown-scli-gbr/index.html" target="_blank">roam the quiet streets</a> of Llandudno, Wales, on March 31. "They sometimes come to the foot of the Great Orme in March, but this year they are all wandering the streets in town as there are no cars or people," said Mark Richards of the hotel Landsdowne House.
Mountain goats roam the quiet streets of Llandudno, Wales, on March 31. "They sometimes come to the foot of the Great Orme in March, but this year they are all wandering the streets in town as there are no cars or people," said Mark Richards of the hotel Landsdowne House.
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Tens of thousands of flamingoes have flocked to Mumbai, India, this spring. The birds traditionally migrate to the area from September to the end of May, according to Rahul Khot, assistant director at the Bombay Natural History Society. <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/flamingos-mumbai-lockdown-scli-intl/index.html" target="_blank">But Khot expects this year's total to set a new record.</a> And it's not just the huge number of birds that's attracting attention. They have also spread to wetlands where they were previously a rarity, Khot said.
Tens of thousands of flamingoes have flocked to Mumbai, India, this spring. The birds traditionally migrate to the area from September to the end of May, according to Rahul Khot, assistant director at the Bombay Natural History Society. But Khot expects this year's total to set a new record. And it's not just the huge number of birds that's attracting attention. They have also spread to wetlands where they were previously a rarity, Khot said.
Pratik Chorge/Hindustan Times/Getty Images
A red fox checks out a pizza box on a promenade in Ashkelon, Israel, on April 17. A family of foxes has become a regular feature in the city, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-israel-foxes/emboldened-by-closures-foxes-prowl-an-ancient-port-city-in-israel-idUSKCN2241RL" target="_blank" target="_blank">Reuters reported,</a> coming out of the desert to explore empty streets.
A red fox checks out a pizza box on a promenade in Ashkelon, Israel, on April 17. A family of foxes has become a regular feature in the city, Reuters reported, coming out of the desert to explore empty streets.
Amir Cohen/Reuters
Lions <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lions-kruger-lockdown-scli-intl/index.html" target="_blank">take a cat nap</a> on a normally busy road in South Africa's Kruger National Park on April 15. "Lying on the road during the daytime is unusual, because under normal circumstances there would be traffic and that pushes them into the bush," park spokesman Isaac Phaahla told CNN.
Lions take a cat nap on a normally busy road in South Africa's Kruger National Park on April 15. "Lying on the road during the daytime is unusual, because under normal circumstances there would be traffic and that pushes them into the bush," park spokesman Isaac Phaahla told CNN.
Richard Sowry/Kruger National Park
A man feeds deer at the Harold Hill housing estate in Romford, England, on April 3.
A man feeds deer at the Harold Hill housing estate in Romford, England, on April 3.
Peter Cziborra/Reuters
A dolphin swims in the Bosphorus near Istanbul on April 26. Dolphins aren't normally spotted this close to the shoreline. Because of the city's lockdown, there has been less maritime traffic and a ban on fishing.
A dolphin swims in the Bosphorus near Istanbul on April 26. Dolphins aren't normally spotted this close to the shoreline. Because of the city's lockdown, there has been less maritime traffic and a ban on fishing.
Yasin Akgul/AFP/Getty Images
Ducks walk in an area of Paris that was deserted and without cars on April 15.
Ducks walk in an area of Paris that was deserted and without cars on April 15.
Chesnot/Getty Images
Newly hatched sea turtles make their way to the water at a beach in Thailand's Phanga Nga district on March 27. Some Thai beaches have seen <a href="https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/thailand-sea-turtles-coronavirus-scli-intl-scn/index.html" target="_blank">the largest number of turtle nests in two decades,</a> according to Kanokwan​ Homcha-ai, a supervisor at the Mai​ Khao Marine Turtle​ Foundation.
Newly hatched sea turtles make their way to the water at a beach in Thailand's Phanga Nga district on March 27. Some Thai beaches have seen the largest number of turtle nests in two decades, according to Kanokwan​ Homcha-ai, a supervisor at the Mai​ Khao Marine Turtle​ Foundation.
Mongkhonsawat Leungvorapan/Reuters
Fox cubs venture out from their den under a popular boardwalk in Toronto on April 22.
Fox cubs venture out from their den under a popular boardwalk in Toronto on April 22.
Carlos Osorio/Reuters
Sika deer stand at the entrance to a restaurant in Nara, Japan, on March 12. Sika deer have always roamed the city's parks, but there have been reports that they've been branching out to residential areas in search of more food.
Sika deer stand at the entrance to a restaurant in Nara, Japan, on March 12. Sika deer have always roamed the city's parks, but there have been reports that they've been branching out to residential areas in search of more food.
Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images
A wild boar and two piglets roam a neighborhood in Haifa, Israel, on April 11.
A wild boar and two piglets roam a neighborhood in Haifa, Israel, on April 11.
Abir Sultan/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Monkeys are seen near the Prang Sam Yod temple in Lopburi, Thailand, on March 17. The monkeys live at the temple and interact with tourists, but a recent monkey brawl <a href="https://www.facebook.com/1733840675/videos/10206801064741888/" target="_blank" target="_blank">caught on video </a>might suggest that resources are now scarce, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/science/hungry-monkeys-deer-coronavirus.html" target="_blank" target="_blank">ecologist Asmita Sengupta told The New York Times.</a>
Monkeys are seen near the Prang Sam Yod temple in Lopburi, Thailand, on March 17. The monkeys live at the temple and interact with tourists, but a recent monkey brawl caught on video might suggest that resources are now scarce, ecologist Asmita Sengupta told The New York Times.
Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters
Donkeys stand outside an ATM in Allahabad, India, on April 10.
Donkeys stand outside an ATM in Allahabad, India, on April 10.
Sanjay Kanojia/AFP/Getty Images
A coyote stands by a roadside near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on April 7.
A coyote stands by a roadside near San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge on April 7.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
A puma is seen in the empty streets of Santiago, Chile, on March 24. Several pumas have been spotted in Santiago recently, and they've had to be captured and relocated.
A puma is seen in the empty streets of Santiago, Chile, on March 24. Several pumas have been spotted in Santiago recently, and they've had to be captured and relocated.
GDA via AP
A red-tailed hawk feasts on a pigeon in New York's Central Park on March 25.
A red-tailed hawk feasts on a pigeon in New York's Central Park on March 25.
Mike Segar/Reuters