The World Nature Reclaimed During COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic marked an unprecedented moment in modern human history, reshaping our world in ways both subtle and profound.
As we look back on this extraordinary period, we find ourselves confronting a complex catalyst of change that touched every aspect of human society and, surprisingly, the natural world around us.
The Great Pause
When the world ground to a halt in early 2020, humanity witnessed something extraordinary: a global pause. Cities fell silent, skies cleared, and the constant hum of human activity dimmed to a whisper.
This unprecedented reduction in human activity created what scientists now call the “anthropause” – a unique window into how our presence shapes the world around us.
In Venice, the famous canals ran clear for the first time in living memory, with reduced boat traffic allowing sediment to settle. The smog-choked skies above industrial centers in China and Northern Italy cleared, offering residents a glimpse of blue skies that had long been obscured by pollution.
These changes, while temporary, provided tangible evidence of humanity’s environmental impact and the potential for recovery when that impact is reduced.
Wildlife’s Response: A Tale of Winners and Losers
The pandemic’s impact on wildlife revealed the complex interplay between human activity and animal behavior. As humans retreated indoors, nature seemed to reclaim urban spaces, leading to some remarkable observations:
Urban Explorers
- Wild boars ventured boldly into Italian towns
- Deer from Nara, Japan, wandered through urban areas seeking food
- Bears were spotted exploring Russian settlements
- Horses and sheep roamed freely through Italian streets
The waterways saw their own renaissance, with clearer waters allowing greater visibility of aquatic life. While some viral social media posts about dolphins in Venice’s canals proved misleading, there was indeed an uptick in marine life sightings near quieter port zones.
Not all wildlife thrived during this period. Species that had grown dependent on human activity faced significant challenges.
- Monkeys in tourist destinations faced food shortages and increased competition. Monkey’s in Bali were shot due to becoming even more aggressive over limited food supply.
- Urban pigeons and seagulls struggled to find food without restaurant waste and tourist handouts
- Mass disinfection campaigns in some countries inadvertently harmed local wildlife
- Stray animals faced increased hardship as shelter operations were reduced
The Human-Animal Bond Tested
The pandemic placed unprecedented strain on the relationship between humans and their domestic animals.
Animal shelters faced closure or reduced operations due to staffing constraints and funding issues. Misinformation about pets potentially transmitting COVID-19 led to unfortunate cases of abandonment, despite expert assertions that such transmission risks were minimal.
The crisis also highlighted humanity’s deep connection with animals.
Zoos worldwide pivoted to digital outreach, offering livestreams and virtual experiences that allowed people to maintain their connection with wildlife from home. This digital transformation may have actually increased public interest in conservation, reaching audiences who might never have visited in person.
Policy Changes and Long-Term Implications
The pandemic prompted significant policy changes regarding human-wildlife interactions. China’s ban on wildlife trade and consumption of certain wild animals marked a potential turning point in conservation efforts. The long-term effectiveness of such measures depends heavily on consistent enforcement and public support.
The economic impact of the pandemic raises concerns about conservation funding and wildlife protection.
Australian Experience
Australia’s response to the pandemic created unique conditions for observing changes in wildlife behaviour and human-animal interactions. Unlike many other nations, Australian animal shelters largely maintained their operations throughout the crisis.
The Australian landscape saw distinctive shifts during the pandemic period:
- Bush turkeys, already a familiar sight in some areas, grew bolder in their exploration of suburban spaces, expanding their presence in urban backyards
- Native wildlife began appearing more frequently in urban areas as human activity decreased
- The reduction in international tourism allowed some natural areas to experience reduced human pressure, potentially benefiting local ecosystems
- Domestic pets in Australia faced different challenges compared to other countries, with many Australians actually increasing pet adoption during lockdown periods although this has conversely caused animal mental-health problems when the nation returned to the office.
Many nations struggled with shelter closures and abandoned pets, Australia’s ability to maintain these animal-welfare services helped prevent similar issues from developing on a large scale.
Economic hardship often leads to increased poaching and reduced resources for environmental protection. The temporary gains for wildlife during the lockdown period may be overshadowed by these longer-term challenges.
Lessons Learned
The COVID-19 pandemic offered a unique natural experiment in human-wildlife interactions and environmental impact.
- The environment can show remarkable resilience when given the opportunity to recover
- Human activity has a more immediate and profound impact on wildlife than previously recognised
- The interconnectedness of human and animal welfare cannot be ignored
- Digital technology can create new ways to connect with and appreciate nature
- Economic stability and environmental protection are deeply interlinked
These insights offer hope for building a more sustainable relationship with the natural world. The pandemic demonstrated that rapid, global change is possible when necessity demands it.
The COVID-19 pandemic, while devastating in its human toll, provided an unprecedented opportunity to examine our relationship with the natural world.
The temporary retreat of human activity revealed both the resilience of nature and the deep dependencies we have created.
The key takeaway is not just about the temporary changes we witnessed, but about the potential for permanent positive change in how we interact with our environment. The pandemic showed us that different ways of living are possible, and that nature responds quickly to changes in human behavior. This knowledge could prove invaluable as we face future global challenges that require coordinated action and systemic change.
Note: While many of the observations cited in this article were documented during the initial phase of the pandemic, it’s important to acknowledge that some reports were anecdotal and experiences varied significantly by region. The long-term implications continue to unfold as we gain more distance and perspective on this extraordinary period in human history.
Explore More About Global Wildlife Changes
- Economic Institutions & Conservation | How COVID-19 Reshaped Global Policies Discover the economic challenges conservation programs faced during the pandemic.
- Overfishing Facts & Solutions | Marine Conservation Post-Pandemic The pandemic’s impact on global fishing industries and how marine life responded.
- Shark Attacks & Conservation | Media Myths vs Reality How changes in human activity affected shark populations and attack reports.
- Climate-Proof Cities | Lessons from the Pandemic on Urban Wildlife The effects of lockdowns on urban ecosystems and wildlife movement.
- Preventing Roadkill | Wildlife Safety as Traffic Returns A look at how reduced traffic during lockdowns impacted roadkill statistics.
