The Guardian view on nature's return: humans making way | Editorial

From coyotes in San Francisco to deer in Romford, animals are taking over streets vacated by peopleFew are lucky enough to go wild these days. Under lockdown our horizons have shrunk. Unless they are on our doorsteps, nature reserves and national parks must wait until the quarantine is lifted. Yet the wild is coming to us. In Essex, deer roam a housing estate. In Llandudno, goats charge down the streets. In San Francisco, coyotes prowl the Golden Gate Bridge. Inner-city residents may see a bird of prey overhead for the first time, or notice flashes of colour from butterflies which usually shun their gardens.Animals are moving into the spaces that humans have vacated, and we are unusually receptive to their arrival. When days seem so indistinct, the appearance of a new bird in a backyard suddenly seizes our attention. A morning walk through a quiet park may have replaced a commute on a packed bus. Birdsong is clearer now that the traffic has hushed. Continue reading...