Over the past few years, more wild animals have been seen along the Hudson County waterfront, including in Hoboken, Jersey City, and Weehawken. People have spotted a seal in Hoboken, deer wandering city streets, coyotes in local parks, and even strange groups of worms after heavy rain. The local community is glad to see that wildlife is slowly returning to places once known only for buildings and busy roads.
- A fox was recently spotted in Weehawken by writer Susie Felber, joining a growing list of wildlife seen along the Hudson County waterfront.
- Hoboken residents continue to debate online whether sightings are of foxes or coyotes, especially during peak mating and denning seasons.
- New Jersey officials encourage the public to report wildlife sightings, which help in tracking rare and endangered species across the state.
A Fox Spotted on the Weehawken Waterfront
On April 16, Thursday evening, Weehawken resident and writer Susie Felber had an unexpected experience while walking along Boulevard East, near the Hudson River. Felber, who is the editor and publisher of the Weehawken Gazette, was heading south toward her home when she saw a fox.
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According to Felber, many people were out enjoying the views that evening. She noticed that tourists, who were likely visiting with families and carrying cameras, were looking at the skyline but missing the fox right in front of them.
Felber said she had never seen a fox in Weehawken before. However, she had previously seen snakes, skunks, raccoons, groundhogs, hawks, and even a deer in her neighborhood. She watched the fox long enough to see it curl up and go to sleep.
Felber believes the fox was in an area that Weehawken recently purchased for conservation. She said, “As I see more and more of Edgewater carving up their cliffs for development, I’m glad to have this patch of nature and evidence that it can sustain such a beautiful creature.”
Hoboken’s Debate: Fox or Coyote?
Meanwhile, in nearby Hoboken, residents have been reporting wild animals since February 2023. People claimed to see a fox, although some argued they saw a coyote. The sightings sparked debates on Facebook and other social media sites. People posted photos and asked others to help identify the animals.
The confusion is understandable. Until after 1995, coyotes were not reported in Hudson County at all. Now, according to Rutgers University Ph.D. candidate Christian Crosby, coyotes are common in Jersey City, Hoboken, and other nearby towns.
The first 2023 report came from near Elysian Park, the same waterfront park that appeared in the movie On the Waterfront starring Marlon Brando. The next day, someone reported seeing a possible coyote near Seventh Street. Later that week, another animal, either a fox or a coyote, was seen near Tenth Street, close to Elysian Park.
In January 2022, a coyote was also spotted in North Bergen, which shows that these animals are moving across the county.
Experts say that city life has become easier for coyotes. According to the Smithsonian, coyotes do well in cities because there are fewer hunters, fewer traps, and plenty of food like squirrels. Some also believe the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept more people indoors, may have made animals bolder.
How Local Authorities Are Responding
Because of the rising number of sightings, Hoboken Police Chief Steven Aguiar issued safety guidelines. Based on advice from U.S. Animal Damage Control, the city recommends several actions:
Residents should not feed wildlife under any circumstances. Feeding can make animals lose their fear of humans. Thus, people should leave wildlife alone and not approach. Small pets like cats and dogs should be watched closely or kept indoors. If a wild animal comes too close, people are advised to make loud noises, like whistling or banging on a surface, to scare it away.
If someone sees a fox, coyote, or any unusual animal, they can call U.S. Animal Damage Control at 908-735-4513 for help.
It is important to remember that February through March is the mating season for coyotes and the denning season for foxes. During this time, animals are more active and may act more aggressively to protect their young.
Authorities also warn that coyotes and foxes can carry rabies, a disease that is always fatal. In addition, foxes and coyotes may attack small pets if given the chance. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife advises people to remove any outdoor pet food and water, keep garbage in tightly sealed containers, and bring pets indoors at night.
Strange Worm Tornadoes After Rain
Besides foxes and coyotes, Hoboken has seen even stranger natural events. In March 2021, after a night of heavy rain, local residents discovered groups of worms forming spiral shapes along the waterfront. These strange worm patterns were quickly nicknamed “wormnadoes.”
The story was first reported by Patch and later picked up by the New York Post and Livescience. Scientists struggled to explain the phenomenon. Kyungsoo Yoo, a professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate at the University of Minnesota, said he had never seen worms forming a spiral like that before. Another expert from Georgia Tech suggested the worms might have followed draining water, creating the spiral patterns.
The internet reacted quickly, joking about New Jersey’s reputation for toxic waste, but at the same time, people were amazed by the photos. One commenter, JerseyTim, defended Hoboken, saying that Fiore’sDeli’s roast beef and mozzarella sandwich was so good it was worth risking a “worm tornado” to get.
Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who first posted photos of the worms on Facebook and Twitter, said she was surprised by how much attention the wormnadoes received. Since then, though, no similar worm formations have been reported, even after later rainstorms.
How to Report Wildlife Sightings in New Jersey
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife encourages residents to report any rare or unusual animal sightings. Accurate reporting helps track animal populations and protect important habitats.
There are several specific ways to report:
For rare species sightings or animals seen on roads, people should use the online NJ Wildlife Tracker. This information helps support the CHANJ project, which works to create safe animal corridors across the state.
If someone finds a dead bobcat, river otter, fisher, or black bear, they should call the DEP Action Line at 1-877-WARN-DEP (1-877-927-6337). Biologists will collect the animals for research.
For sightings of beavers, river otters, coyotes, grey foxes, fishers, muskrats, or weasels, the Furbearers Survey form should be filled out.
Birds and bats with numbered bands should be reported to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory. Field-readable bands, especially on bald eagles and peregrine falcons, should be photographed and emailed to [email protected].
People who find injured or orphaned wildlife can visit the New Jersey Wildlife Rehabilitators page for a list of licensed experts.
The Wild Turkey Brood Sighting Survey runs every year from July 1 to September 15 to monitor the success of turkey broods across New Jersey.
Finally, if someone encounters endangered or threatened marine animals like sea turtles, Atlantic sturgeon, or prohibited shark species in New Jersey waters, they should report these through the Marine Protected Wildlife Reporter application.
