Tamsin Harper on the unexpected emergence of wildlife during the coronavirus pandemic.

How long does it take nature to bounce back? For wildlife to reclaim the land that we occupy?

If you’ve ever watched a post-apocalyptic film, you’ll be familiar with the imagery of buildings entangled with vines and roads splitting as plants emerge. They signify the long elapse of time, and absence of mankind. The truth is, it doesn’t take an asteroid, or the living dead, eradicating humans to coax our elusive wildlife out of hiding.

The coronavirus outbreak has swept across the globe like a wave of silence following a bad joke. This quiet curtain has fallen over some of the world’s most heavily populated areas; where one decree from our almighty governments, “Lockdown”, empties the streets.

Unexpected benefits have followed our disappearance. As factories and public transport depots shut down, our global carbon dioxide emissions have dropped significantly. China’s emissions alone have declined by 25% in lockdown zones, improving the air quality for all, and I don’t just mean humans. One man’s virus is another animal’s lucky break. In our absence, our abandoned towns and cities begin to rustle with life once more. Wildlife that we banished to the outskirts of civilisation are returning, cautiously, but returning none the less.

Reports of wild animals spotted in urban areas reach us from distant lands. Sika deer wander the streets of Nara, Japan, raccoons visit the beaches of Panama, and we have all heard of the crystal-clear waters that run the Venetian canals, swarming with returning fish. It seems that countries that have been in lockdown longer than we Brits are witnessing, first-hand, every ecologist’s dream. The integration of the natural and human world, once again.

So, why is this unexpected phenomenon happening? What is it about our presence that has kept them from joining us sooner?

Well, to start with, noise pollution must have plummeted with no large groups of loud humans talking over one another. With the exception of our weekly nation-wide clap for the NHS, our little hedge dwellers must be soaking up the peace.

The halt on non-essential journeys has dramatically reduced our road traffic. A relief to furry road crossers everywhere, clearly finding the journeys into town centres easier now they don’t have to dodge every Fiat 500 ever made.

Social distancing has emptied our streets. There are no large gatherings outside pubs and in parks. To our elusive counterparts, the next move is an obvious one.

While the cat is away, the mice play!

Of course, when we are all hitting the streets to celebrate the end of our collective house arrest, our nervous visitors will step back once more. How close we keep them is our own decision. Maybe we can convince the mice that these cats don’t bite.

How long does it take nature to bounce back? Well, the answer to that question appears to be not long at all. We haven’t lost the fight yet. All over the globe where lockdown keeps our streets quiet, forgotten creatures frolic. A reminder that we are not alone, and they are waiting to return when we are ready to accommodate them.