5 cities known for their animal residents
From penguins in Cape Town to pandas in Chengdu
You can see wildlife up close on your next vacation without having to book a safari or head to the jungle. Cities like Istanbul and Cape Town are known for having animals out and about on the streets, a welcome sight for visitors who miss their own pets or want to be close to nature without having to actually be in nature.
Cats in Istanbul, Turkey
After a few minutes in Istanbul, it becomes crystal clear why this is called the City of Cats. There are felines everywhere, curled in windowsills, walking into mosques, lounging on top of cars and patiently sitting next to you at an outdoor café, waiting for a morsel to drop. It is estimated that about 150,000 stray cats live in Istanbul, with residents leaving out food so they can eat on demand. Cats can be found in every neighborhood, but are highly concentrated in Cihangir and Moda.
Monkeys in Agra, India
Monkeys are fully adapted to living alongside people in Agra and have done so "not by developing clever tricks or behaviors but by being unholy terrors," Fodors said. Some exhibit downright criminal conduct, stealing purses and snacks from tourists and occasionally going on the attack, so it is best to keep your distance. You will see plenty of monkeys during any drive through Agra and while visiting the city's most famous landmark, the Taj Mahal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Pandas in Chengdu, China
The words "panda" and "Chengdu" go hand in hand. The beloved black-and-white bear is a national emblem of China, and Chengdu in Sichuan province is ground zero for efforts to increase the small population. Before you even get to the Dujiangyan Panda Base or Giant Panda Breeding Research Base to watch them sleep, play and munch on bamboo, you will see panda art all over the city, with statues on rooftops and caricatures painted on fields. You can also eat like the animal, enjoying a plant-based lunch at the Bamboo Restaurant, the only eatery in Chengdu that revolves around the panda's favorite food.
Penguins near Cape Town, South Africa
Visitors head to Boulders Beach to swim, yes, but the main draw is the colony of African penguins who call this stretch of sand home. The critically endangered penguins can be observed from wooden boardwalks and heard from almost anywhere — they "bray like a donkey," Smithsonian Magazine said, and the "species was formerly known as the jackass penguin for this very reason." Penguins also waddle through the city of Simon's Town, where conservation groups are working to improve breeding conditions and educate residents on how to safely coexist with the birds.
Peregrine falcons in New York City
When headed to New York City, birdwatchers should pack a pair of binoculars for peregrine-falcon spotting. New York City is believed to have the largest urban population of the bird of prey, and they are frequently seen nesting on skyscraper ledges and flying across large open spaces, including Central Park's Reservoir, Jamaica Bay and Fort Washington Park. When diving, peregrine falcons can reach speeds of more than 200 miles per hour, an impressive feat that makes them the fastest animal in the world.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
The revival of absinthe
The Week Recommends The once-banned 'green fairy' is back in demand in cocktail bars around the UK
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
How could AI-powered government change the UK?
Today's Big Question Keir Starmer unveils new action plan to make Britain 'world leader' in artificial intelligence
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
The UK's first legal drug consumption room
The Explainer 'Potentially transformative moment in UK drugs policy' as The Thistle opens in Glasgow
By The Week UK Published
-
Movies to watch in January, including 'Wolf Man' and 'The Last Showgirl'
The Week Recommends A creature feature, a bizarre biopic and a haunted house movie from the ghost's POV
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
8 eagerly awaited hotels opening in 2025
The Week Recommends A new year means several anticipated hotel openings are on the horizon
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
5 books to read this January that will take you on adventures real and imagined
The Week Recommends A metafiction about artificial intelligence, a battle over land ownership in the American West and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
6 products that will free up your hands for easy-breezy travel
The Week Recommends These practical products will definitely come in handy
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Start your year off right at a serene hotel in the calming desert
The Week Recommends Make a resolution to spend more time in relaxation mode
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
All the comedians to see on tour this winter
The week recommends The warmth of laughter will get you through the cold months
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
St. Kitts offers tropical beaches and plenty of history
The Week Recommends This Caribbean island has layers, with opportunities for relaxing and learning
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
How to celebrate New Year's Eve globally without leaving home
The Week Recommends Stock up on grapes and (safely) set a scarecrow on fire
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published