In the wild, animals are instinctually wary of humans.
The opposite is true in New York, where animals and humans are forced to live in close proximity to each other. Overtime, a strange bond seems to develop. My neighbor, for example, would let squirrels climb his body like a tree to eat the peanuts he was holding in his mouth.
Recently, I also came across a man feeding a sparrow straight out of his hand. While he was seated outside at a restaurant, the bird flew onto the dining table and kept returning for leftover breadcrumbs. It was quite entertaining to watch, especially because the man took so much enjoyment from the activity.
However, by far the best example of this human-animal communalism is seen in Washington Square Park. When the weather gets warmer, you may find yourself sitting next to a mountain of pigeons. Underneath, there’s a man. I’ve since nicknamed him “The Pigeon Man.”
Cover Photo Courtesy of JoeInQueens
Licensed with Creative Commons 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)
