I'm sad to hear that, Tiffs. Seems everywhere one goes, animals are suffering and dying out. While I don't know the reason for it round your way, I'd hazard that while covid may play a part in it, I think the biggest reason for this is likely to be climate change. With all this hot weather and also wild weather like hurricanes, it could really take out the local wildlife.
I hadn't thought of covid as being the cause of the lack of wildlife here, but, who knows? The drought and extreme weather here in Georgia has caused damage. We used to have a cacophony of sound from the woods. Frogs, crickets, cicada, birds, owls, etc etc. We used to have lots of deer, bunnies, fox (a few), frogs and more. Then, we noticed squirrels would have half a tail, some you could see it crimped halfway up the tail and then it would be missing. Birds would die - just sit on the lawn and die. Frogs completely disappeared. No cicada. Just a lot of silence.
It is finally coming back. It's loud again at night
. The beautiful huge owls are back. We even have some nesting bats. Lots of dragonflies. However, the trees are sick. The big oak trees. But that's not what this thread was about so I will slide back to the covid discussion lol.
We are missing the cats, coyotes, and fox. No cougars or bobcats either. I wonder if perhaps covid spread around. We did have covid several times now. I'm sure it spread around the neighborhood. We all throw fruit and veggies into the woods for critters. Did we perhaps infect any? Hope not.
Long covid - stinks. I hate it. Vaccines - YES! I tire of the folks who think wearing a mask is a fashion statement or a political one. It's to protect others from getting sick from whatever you are/may be carrying around. Covid, flu, whatever. I mask up and I cannot breathe well in one. I do it to protect others if stuff is going around. Hopefully, others will do the same.