Animal rights activists were worried that pigeons would starve as the COVID-19 crisis saw high streets emptied, leaving no scraps to eat. Now the birds in Cologne will not go hungry.
Image: AFP/P. Stollarz
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The city of Cologne, in western Germany, has issued special pigeon-feeding permits to 25 animal rights activists after they raised concerns that the birds could starve during the coronavirus lockdown.
The activists will now be allowed to feed the pigeons at designated "pigeon hotspots" around the city, including in front of its iconic cathedral.
With more than half the global population under lockdown over COVID-19, our cities have become shadows of their former selves. For some animals, it's proving the perfect opportunity to go and explore.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/S. Vidanagama
Trip into town
In the coastal Welsh town of Llandudno, usually timid mountain goats have ventured into the empty streets to take a look around. They've become an online favorite thanks to Twitter posts by video producer Andrew Stuart. "There's hardly anyone around to scare them or anything … they just don't really care and are eating whatever they can," he said. The UK has been on lockdown since March 23.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/P. Byrne
Exploring new ground
In Nara, Japan's first permanent capital, deer are considered "messengers of the gods" and have been designated national treasures. More than 1,000 regularly wander through the city's central park, and visitors are encouraged to feed them sugar-free wheat crackers. But with tourists staying away during the outbreak, some curious deer have been quietly investigating nearby shops and restaurants.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. C. Hong
Monkey menace
Thousands of macaques that roam the streets of Lopburi in Thailand haven't been so polite. Usually well-fed by tourists, the monkeys have been finding snacks hard to come by during the pandemic. They've even engaged in intertribal warfare over scraps, fighting in the streets and historic temples. Thailand, the first country outside China to confirm a COVID-19 case, saw 39 million tourists in 2019.
Image: Reuters/S. Z. Tun
Urban jungle
This young puma was recently found stalking through the empty streets of downtown Santiago, Chile, followed soon after by two more. The animals live in the nearby Andes Mountains and have increasingly been spotted in the locked down capital, home to about 6 million people. "There's no people, there's no noise, so they dare to explore a little more," said a regional official.
Image: AFP/A. Pina
Unfamiliar territory
India, home to 1.3 billion people — around 17% of the world population — began its ongoing lockdown on March 24. Most flights have been suspended, and these stray dogs have taken advantage of the abandoned arrivals area at the Kolkata airport. There are tens of millions of strays roving the country's streets and slums; a law has made it illegal to kill or maim the animals.
Image: AFP/D. Sarkar
Strays rule the streets
Strays are also common in Istanbul — the city on the Bosporus has about 15 million inhabitants, but counts more than 200,000 free roaming cats and dogs. Local authorities regularly provide food and checkups for the animals, and that hasn't let up during the pandemic. Animal rights activists have said pets are increasingly being abandoned, amid false reports they can pass the virus on to humans.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/E. Demirtas
Calm canals
Venice, usually a popular tourist destination, has seen dramatic changes during the outbreak which has brought Italy to near collapse. The northern city is normally swamped with visitors, but canals have emptied during the country's strict lockdown measures. Without the constant passage of boat taxis and gondolas the muddied waters have settled, and seabirds and fish are once again visible.
Image: AFP/A. Pattaro
Visiting the neighbors
The United States, the new epicenter of the pandemic, has been gradually imposing varying degrees of lockdown measures across the country. In Chicago, the Shedd Aquarium has closed its doors to the public until at least April 30. In the absence of visitors, the center's rockhopper penguins have been allowed out to explore.
Image: Shedd Aquarium/Alicia Atkins
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Under normal circumstances, feeding pigeons is banned in Cologne. Breaking the rules carries a fine of up to €1,000 ($1,080). But in March, German animal rights charity, German Animal Welfare Association, raised concerns that pigeons were being adversely affected by the coronavirus restrictions. The birds usually feast on tiny leftovers dropped by residents leaving cafes and takeaways, but with these closed the birds were going hungry, said the charity.
Feeders in designated areas
The local environmental authority listened to concerns raised by the activists, agreeing that the birds must be fed.
"Weakened and starving pigeons" have repeatedly been spotted, a statement from the city authority said. In Germany, pigeons are classed as "feral domesticated pigeons," meaning that they are protected by animal welfare laws, the environment authority said.
The pigeons will be fed in designated zones "where an increased occurrence of city pigeons has been observed" said the authority.
Not everyone has welcomed the decision. City Mayor Andreas Hupke commented: "I do not think much of artificially sustaining a pigeon population that has multiplied from eating the scraps of food that people have carelessly thrown away."
However, permission to feed the pigeons will only last as long as the coronavirus restrictions remain in place, reported Cologne local newspaper Express.
Following Chancellor Angela Merkel's announcement that further coronavirus measures are set to be eased, pigeons may soon have to return to their old feeding habits: the opening of larger shops and the easing of other restrictions may see the return of footfall — and food scraps — in Cologne's city center.
