From turkeys using the crosswalk to rats scurrying around the streets, Brookline’s citizens encounter wildlife in many different ways.
The wildlife in Brookline is abundant, and comes in many forms, so the citizens of Brookline have a huge range of interactions with animals. However, the enjoyment of these encounters varies. While some people cherish these interactions with nature, others dislike some of the more unpleasant sides of Brookline wildlife.
Sophomore Ayo Akinwunmi has a positive outlook on the wildlife he encounters and treasures certain memories.
“I love rabbits, bunnies and birds,” Akinwunmi said. “I remember seeing a bunny give birth in my backyard.”
Junior Ethan Chen said that the abundance of wildlife in the area was a shock compared to where he had lived before.
“When I grew up in China, there weren’t any animals out on the street because we didn’t have as much nature as here,” Chen said. “It really amazed me that there were animals just out and about when I first came here.”
However, Chen said he also frequently has encounters with wildlife in Brookline that might not be as pleasant as ones with the bunnies that populate lawns and parks across town.
“I like encountering squirrels and rabbits. I think it’s pretty nice,” Chen said. “But I really don’t like rats and mice.”
Another reality of life in Brookline is that citizens must learn how to interact with wildlife. Brookline resident Esmaeel Abdel-Dayem said he has had to learn how to act around turkeys, which are common in the area where he lives.
“I think I’ve learned to not make any direct eye contact with the turkeys. Go about your business and they let you go about yours,” Abdel-Dayem said. “They can get a little feisty at times, but I find if you just kind of stay away and ignore them a little bit, then they’ll ignore you.”
Just as Brookline residents have learned to adapt to wildlife, the animals of Brookline have been reported to adapt to their urban environment. Abdel-Dayem said how wildlife in Brookline has integrated with city-like aspects of the area in interesting ways.
“At some point, I saw them crossing Commonwealth Avenue, in the crosswalk,” Abdel-Dayem said. “Three or four turkeys, actually using the crosswalk, which was hilarious to me.”
Chen said that wildlife encounters in the urban areas can be very different from the suburban ones.
“If you go to Coolidge Corner at night, then there’s rats around, and then if you go to around where I live, Winthrop, there’s this one street with a bunch of restaurants, and there’s rats there,” Chen said. “But then if you go to the more suburban area, like behind where I live, closer to the high school, there’s not that many restaurants. There’s just rabbits and squirrels everywhere, and you don’t really see rats.”
Despite the parts of Brookline’s wildlife that citizens may not like as much, residents like Abdel-Dayem are able to see the charm in having animals in such an urban environment.
“Overall, I like that we have turkeys around all the time,” Abdel-Dayem said. “I enjoy seeing the different stages of life of the turkeys over the years.”
