Couldn’t resist starting today’s news with this one:
One of those life forms was one you might not have expected to benefit, particularly:
After SARS-CoV-2 was found to be spreading in the US early in 2020, local governments issued shelter-in-place orders to try to combat the virus. Around Santa Cruz, California, this resulted in a 50 percent reduction in local travel, according to a paper published June 23 in Current Biology. Local mountain lions, which typically steer clear of human-populated areas, took notice, expanding their ranges closer to urban areas, the study found.
Jef Akst, “Pandemic Lockdown Eases Mountain Lions’ Fear of Urban Areas” at The Scientist The paper is open access.
This is a cougar on Vancouver Island off the coast of North America, where your UD news is produced:
Please also enjoy Snagglepuss, a North American cougar (animated cartoon) with all the virtues (sorry, faults) of a feline:
Sorry if Snagglepuss gets Canceled later, like PePe LePew. We all hate that crap too.