The Effect of Feral Cats on Urban Wildlife

When people consider the causes of the decline in bird or small mammal populations most will first think of pesticides or vehicle deaths. However, one of the biggest threats to these birds and mammals may actually be our own dear pet cats. Domestic cats (Felis catus) contribute significantly to the decline in urban wildlife. Cats... Continue Reading →

Arms race in the war on raccoons

“Madrid declares war on plague of raccoon and parrot invaders” The Guardian (2013, July 22) “Toronto wages war on Raccoon Nation”The Canadian Press (2015, May 3) Many places have declared the war on raccoons in recent years. But is this war only making them stronger? Why declare war on racoons? The raccoon (Procyon lotor) originates... Continue Reading →

Student Media Highlight: Life in the City mini-documentary

[embedyt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obHtOIJrwh8[/embedyt] Our perceptions of wildlife and nature are shaped by the media which highlights. The mold has been set by great figures like David Attenborough, with his memorable narrative voice. However, these documentaries only explored 'pristine' landscapes in far away lands, while ignoring the creatures that must contend with the Urban Jungle. In my first... Continue Reading →

From Isolation to Collaboration: How COVID-19 Lockdowns Inspired a Citizen Science Project Illuminating the Wonders of Urban Plant Diversity

By Veerle Langezaal During the Covid-19 lockdowns, a grassroots movement emerged where botanists in France, the UK, and the Netherlands began chalking plant species names on sidewalks. This initiative aimed to educate communities about the ecological importance of these plants, challenging the perception of them as mere weeds. This movement has since evolved into a... Continue Reading →

Grey buildings, green birds

Native to the Indian subcontinent and the southern fringes of the Sahel, the ring-necked parakeet (Psittacula krameri) looks wonderfully out of place in the cities of Western Europe. How and when exactly the colourful bird species established itself in isolated pockets so far from its naturally occurring range is heavily disputed, and subject to many... Continue Reading →

New Lit Alert: Do urban habitats induce physiological changes in Mediterranean lizards?

Do urban habitats induce physiological changes in Mediterranean lizards? R Vardi, S Dubiner, R Ben Bezalel, S Meiri, E Levin Abstract Urban environments offer dramatically different habitats for wildlife compared with natural environments. They provide, for example, different levels of resource availability, anthropogenic night light, and microclimates (e.g., urban heat islands). For reptiles, increased temperatures... Continue Reading →

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