Richard B. Primack/Special to the Tab
Wildlife enthusiasts in Newton have reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic by staying local and turning up unusual sightings.
Officer Juan Garcia, the seasonal animal officer with the Newton Police, handles calls about wildlife problems in the city, mostly involving coyotes, foxes, deer and racoons.
“The call volume has increased this year as people are spending more time at home and walking in the woods.” he said.
Since the lockdown began in March, Max Chalfin-Jacobs, a Newton North senior from Newtonville, has observed 135 bird species in Cold Spring Park, about 30 percent of all the species known in Massachusetts.