In Forest Park, Queens, Laura Dudley Plimpton, an ecologist at Columbia University, discovered two raccoons in a cage trap designed for one. Unlike previous instances where she found a mother and a small kit, this time the trap contained two fully grown adults that had merged into a single “big squish.” Although amused by their antics, Plimpton recognized the significance of this encounter, as it was part of her investigation into urban animals, the pathogens they carry, and how they can spread throughout the city.
While rats tend to receive the most attention, all kinds of creatures, including raccoons, skunks, opossums, deer, and occasionally coyotes, inhabit New York City, often unnoticed by its residents. Urban environments offer unique opportunities for these animals, particularly if they learn to take advantage of human resources like trash. However, city living also presents challenges due to close quarters and frequent interactions with other species, including humans. These factors increase the risk of disease transmission to people, pets, and wildlife.
In an effort to better understand these risks and protect human and animal health, Plimpton, along with Dr. Maria Diuk-Wasser and their colleagues at Columbia University, are conducting research on urban animals and the pathogens they carry. Their work sheds light on the interconnectedness between humans and animals in one of the most urbanized environments on Earth.
Dr. Diuk-Wasser has been studying how urban environments shape animal communities and influence the spread of pathogens, particularly tick-borne diseases. The Covid-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to expand their research when it became evident that humans were transmitting the virus to animals. This led Plimpton and Dr. Diuk-Wasser to investigate whether other coronaviruses circulating in New York City’s wildlife could pose a risk to both animals and people. During their research in Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, Plimpton observed raccoons with unusual symptoms and identified an outbreak of canine distemper, a disease that had not been initially targeted.
Canine distemper does not pose a threat to humans but can be fatal for raccoons, skunks, and dogs. Detecting this outbreak and sequencing the genetic samples they collected could provide valuable information on the transmission and spread of the disease. By tracking raccoons’ movements through GPS collars and Bluetooth sensors, Plimpton discovered a potential “super-spreading zone” in the southwestern corner of the cemetery, with abundant food sources like trash, gardens, and cat food, attracting hungry raccoons and facilitating close interactions.
To understand the larger picture, the researchers are conducting a citywide study that involves collecting biological specimens from various urban animals, including raccoons, deer, opossums, skunks, cats, shrews, and white-footed mice. By swabbing these animals and analyzing the samples, they hope to gain insights into the viruses they carry. While no coronaviruses have been found in raccoons so far, a novel coronavirus was isolated from a cat last summer, which had previously been associated with rabbits and rodents. This highlights the potential for disease transmission between wildlife and cats.
The collected specimens hold great potential for future projects, including the use of metagenomics to identify all the viruses present in urban animals. Acquiring samples from wildlife populations is a significant challenge, making every opportunity to do so a privilege.
In their efforts to understand and mitigate the risks associated with urban wildlife, Plimpton, Dr. Diuk-Wasser, and their team are not only uncovering the complex relationships between humans and animals but also working towards establishing healthier boundaries between urban residents and wildlife. Cooperation from everyone is necessary to achieve this goal.