Urban Wildlife Conservation

In the past, wildlife living in urban areas was ignored by wildlife professionals

and urban planners because cities were perceived as places for people and not

for wild animals. Paradoxically, though, many species of wildlife thrive in these

built environments. Interactions between humans and wildlife are more frequent

in urban areas than any other place on earth, and these interactions impact

human health, safety, and welfare in both positive and negative ways. Although

urban wild animals control pest species, pollinate plants, and are fun to watch, they

also damage property, spread disease, and even attack people and pets. In

urban areas, the combination of dense human populations, buildings,

impermeable surfaces, introduced vegetation, and high concentrations of food,

water, and pollution alter wildlife populations and communities in ways unseen

in more natural environments. For these ecological and practical reasons,

researchers and managers have shown a growing interest in urban wildlife

ecology and management.

This growing interest in urban wildlife has inspired many studies on the subject

that have yet to be synthesized in a cohesive narrative. Urban Wildlife: Theory

and Practice fills this void by synthesizing the latest ecological and social

knowledge in the subject area into an interdisciplinary and practical text. This

volume provides a found
ation for the future growth and understanding of urban
wildlife ecology and management by:

• Clearly defining the concepts used to study and describe urban wildlife

• Offering a cohesive understanding of the coupled natural and social

drivers that shape urban wildlife ecology

• Presenting the patterns and processes of wildlife response to an

urbanizing world and explaining the mechanisms behind them, and

• Proposing means to create physical and social environments that are

mutually beneficial for both humans and wildlife.