URBAN WILDLIFE

We survive on a human-modified planet and in an environment more apparent within the world of cities. Of the Earth’s total land area, above 10% is now characterised as urban land cover, and therefore the continued pace of urbanisation is astonishing. The majority of the worlds human population now lives in urban areas, and consequently, the global urban population is predicted to extend to just about 5 billion people by 2030. The unrivalled expansion of the urban regions will undoubtedly still transform the world’s ecology, with profound consequences for biodiversity worldwide. As the newest and fastest-growing ecosystems globally, cities also represent a unique opportunity for science, particularly ecology and conservation. Connecting people to nature through careful town planning could have tremendous potential to conserve nature and biodiversity. This approach, termed “reconciliation ecology”, could facilitate wildlife conservation even in the heart of urban landscapes.

Urban wildlife can live or thrive in urban/suburban environments or around densely populated human settlements such as townships. Cities are rapidly expanding around the globe and emerging as a new ecosystem for wildlife. To maximise the potential of cities as a habitat, scientists and managers need a broader understanding of the ecology and behaviour of wildlife in cities. Although cities aren’t typically built with wild flora and fauna in mind, they are doing everything to contain essential wildlife habitats, like parks, nature preserves, golf courses, cemeteries, and in some cases, even yards. Moreover, efforts to include natural habitats into urban planning –for conservation, to enhance human well-being, or to extend property values — are increasingly common simultaneously. Many wildlife species are recolonising urban areas, ultimately increasing the likelihood of human-wildlife interactions.

Urban wildlife species frequently interact with humans due to the high density of people living and working in cities. Some urban wildlife, like house mice, are synanthropic, ecologically related to and even evolved to become entirely hooked into humans. For example, the range of the many synanthropic species is expanded to latitudes at which they might not survive the winter outside of the sheltering’s provided by human settlements Other species tolerate and cohabitate humans and use the remaining urban forests, green spaces, and street/garden vegetation as niche habitats. In some cases, they are gradually becoming sufficiently habitual around humans, resulting in synanthropic over time. It represents a minority of the creatures which may normally inhabit an area.

Protecting and restoring wildlife habitats in our cities and suburbs is a vital component of wildlife conservation. Urban wildlife habitat can support habitat connectivity within ecological landscapes and function as a refuge for species impacted by urbanisation. Local land and conservation projects can provide important urban wildlife benefits and connect our growing urban population with nature, potentially broadening natural resource conservation support nationwide. Different types of urban areas support other sorts of wildlife. One general feature of bird species that adapt well to urban environments is that they have a tendency to possess bigger brains, allowing them to be more adaptable to the changeable urban environment.

Forest Service scientists use animal behaviour analyses, species population surveys, quantitative studies, and computer modelling to determine how urbanisation strategies can best meet the needs of native wildlife.

A glance around will tell you that the urban wildlife is as rich within the city as within the outskirts. The predominant housing system of independent houses with yards, large avenue trees and grounds, unused plots of lands with dense vegetation, the various public buildings of the colonial era with attics, high awnings, minarets and inaccessible spaces all offer the much-needed space for urban wild animals like bats, mongooses, civets, shrews and a countless sort of birds. City expansion, clearing of vegetation, indiscriminate killing and non-availability of food pose a severe threat to their existence. Their evolving behavioural patterns say that they, too, are maintaining with the days. Crows and mynas nest under solar panels on lamps or signal posts. Eagles and crows use iron rods, wires, used top-up cards, pizza cartons, magazines and umpteen knick-knacks that we throw away for their nest. Fearless squirrels; tree pies, robins & sunbirds resting on window sills; mongooses being reception in porches, garages and streets; egrets and kites seeking handouts from fishmongers indicate that they even tend to be borderline commensals. Yet, many of them, including the most adaptive, elusive and secretive ones, are on the verge of being wiped out.

Human-wildlife interactions in urbanising environments can be positive or negative. Conflicts between humans and wildlife in suburban and urban areas are inevitable. Human-altered landscapes create highly suitable habitats for some species of wild animals. Absent hunting and trapping, many urban areas may harbour species that elsewhere occur below ecological carrying capacity. Other human activities — such as poor trash management, landscaping that provides food resources, and structures that increase available harbourage — can affect local wildlife populations. Many urbanites seeking interaction with wild animals deliberately feed and provision them, which can cause problems such as localised concentrations of animals. The conflicts between humans and wild animals in urbanising environments can involve individual animals, local groups of animals, or the increasing regional populations of some species. A homeowner may have a problem with a particular animal that has taken up residence in the roof, leading to action to resolve an immediate and highly site-specific issue.

We can resolve these issues by systematic rehabilitation and ecosystem restructuring for urban wildlife. Conscious effort is needed to preserve biodiversity around us and reduce the impact of urbanisation on natural habitats.

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