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Possum and Raccoons Find Comfortable Spots Near Museum of Natural History

April 10, 2020 | 4:30 PM
in OUTDOORS
5

There’s some evidence that the stay-at-home restrictions imposed around the world have led to the reemergence of nature in some areas. On the Upper West Side, it’s too soon to tell, but we got some photos of some creatures enjoying the great outdoors in the neighborhood. Josh Scheiman took the photos below while out walking his dog around Teddy Roosevelt Park. The middle shot shows two raccoons perched right above the parking sign.

“The possum stayed in the tree, at about chest level, the whole time. But it did watch us intently as we walked by it,” he wrote. “Apparently every dog that went by it could smell it (but most didn’t see it) and were growling or barking in its direction.”

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SBG
SBG
5 years ago

Thank you for these delightful & cheering photos.
And thanks, West Side Rag, for all you are doing to keep us informed.

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Kathleen
Kathleen
5 years ago

Pigeons spend most of the day on a ledge one floor above me that I see out my windows. They are there all day, sitting in the sun, walking, talking, coming and going. Since the stay in place order, not a pigeon to be seen. So I’m wondering and hoping it’s because they can, for the time being, safely hang out lower down in the trees, parks, someplace more “pigeony”. I miss them and it will be interesting to see how soon they come back once more people are out and about. I hope all the wildlife in NYC are enjoying their respite from so many people and so much traffic!

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Rat A Tooey
Rat A Tooey
5 years ago

About yer Possum and Raccoons thingy

All of us furry 4-legs is scavengers…we feeds off da schmutz left behind by youse un-furred 2-legs.

But now, wit’ everyt’ing closed, we’s having a tuff time finding food.

Maybe some more kindly of youse 2-legs could bring over some food scraps from yer take-out/delivered food?

Pizza crusts is fine, so is hot-dog or hamburger buns…but none of dat vegan-organic-no gluten cwap, and ‘speshully NO KALE…if we wanted Kale we could just go bite some leaves off a tree…tastes da same.

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john
john
5 years ago
Reply to  Rat A Tooey

They make a good stew.. Um UM

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James
James
5 years ago

I was delighted to see an eagle – I think a red-tailed eagle but at least some kind of raptor – had moved in to my neighbourhood, just to the north of 86th Street. Apparently the rodent population is coming out in search of food (now that humans are dropping less food trash) so I guess this eagle saw an opportunity. I haven’t been able to get a photo yet but it is a beautiful sight. I wonder if anyone else has seen similar?

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