When I think about pesky animals in NYC, rats, pigeons and squirrels are all that usually come to mind. Lately though, our city has been host to a much wilder crowd. In August, a 2 foot alligator was found lurking beneath a Datsun in Astoria, Queens, leaving many people wondering…who still drives a Datsun? The origins of the reptile are a mystery, but his appearance has reinvigorated a classic urban legend.
Perhaps, even stranger was the coyote that roamed Tribeca for a day and night in March before being apprehended under a car (this time not a Datsun) on Watts Street. She was the third coyote to be spotted in the city since January.
This got me thinking about other unlikely creatures calling the city home and after a little digging, I was amazed to find out who we share the streets with. Just to name a few:
- A flock of wild parrots living near Brooklyn College. They even have their own blog.
- Wild possums stirring up trouble in Kings County
- A rogue dolphin in Newtown Creek and
- A herd of seals that winters in New York Harbor
What, no random wild animals on the Upper West Side? Darn! What a shame…
I really love the use of humor to introduce your post. I cracked up at “leaving many people wondering…who still drives a Datsun?” Haha…yeah, it’s still funny. 🙂