The rhetoric of ‘smart cities’ is dominated by the economic, with little reference to the natural world and its plight. Truly smart and resilient cities need to be more in tune with the planet.
Why are our cities full of crows, ravens and rainbow lorikeets, while other species decline? The answer comes down to street smarts, adaptability, and sometimes plain bullying.
Flying-foxes can cause conflict - just ask the people of Batemans Bay, NSW. But plans to disperse them won’t necessarily work without understanding these highly mobile animals’ behaviour.
A wildlife biologist argues that the canid in eastern North America – known as the eastern coyote, or the coywolf by some – deserves to be classified as a separate species.
Nature is dispersed through our cities, even if we don’t notice it. And there’s abundant evidence that engaging with nature, even in urban settings, is good for us.
Many Americans move to rural areas to live near nature. But the mere presence of humans changes wildlife behavior in ways that may have ripple effects.
Peter Alagona, University of California, Santa Barbara
Urban wildlife is here to stay. Cities and their residents need better policies to coexist with the many animals making their homes in cities and suburbs.