5 cities known for their animal residents

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.

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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.