Urban Wildlife Conservation

In the past, wildlife living in urban areas was ignored by wildlife professionalsand urban planners because cities were perceived as places for people and notfor wild animals. Paradoxically, though, many species of wildlife thrive in thesebuilt environments. Interactions between humans and wildlife are more frequentin urban areas than any other place on earth, and these interactions impacthuman health, safety, and welfare in both positive and negative ways. Althoughurban wild animals control pest species, pollinate plants, and are fun to watch, theyalso damage property, spread disease, and even attack people and pets. Inurban 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 unseenin more natural environments. For these ecological and practical reasons,researchers and managers have shown a growing interest in urban wildlifeecology and management.This growing interest in urban wildlife has inspired many studies on the subjectthat have yet to be synthesized in a cohesive narrative. Urban Wildlife: Theoryand Practice fills this void by synthesizing the latest ecological and socialknowledge in the subject area into an interdisciplinary and practical text. Thisvolume provides a foundation for the future growth and understanding of urbanwildlife ecology and management by:? Clearly defining the concepts used to study and describe urban wildlife? Offering a cohesive understanding of the coupled natural and socialdrivers that shape urban wildlife ecology? Presenting the patterns and processes of wildlife response to anurbanizing world and explaining the mechanisms behind them, and? Proposing means to create physical and social environments that aremutually beneficial for both humans and wildlife.