You wouldn’t initially think it, but New York wildlife is far more exotic than just humdrum pigeons and park squirrels. We’ve seen superstar owl kings get their own exhibits at The New-York Historical Society, flashy Mandarin ducks inspire Bette Midler-penned kids’ books and actual seahorses bobbing around the Hudson River. And now we can add two more unexpected creatures that have captured local hearts: the Central Park coyotes.
Yes, coyotes do exist in New York City—the howlers “have been present in New York since the 1930s, and have been firmly established throughout the state since the 1970s,” popping up in urban areas including parks and residential neighborhoods, per the City of New York. The site details that “Eastern coyotes, like many New York City residents, are naturally curious and adaptable” and can “explore as much as 10 miles of open space in a single day—that’s roughly the distance from Wall Street to the top of Central Park.”
And two members of the proverbial pack have been doing exactly that: A coyote couple affectionately known as Romeo and Juliet—BRB, swooning—has been gaining attention throughout NYC thanks to their romantic nighttime visits to the Delacorte Theater (somebody get them Shakespeare in the Park tickets, STAT) and woodsy cuddles in the Bramble…