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- Info
Understanding wildlife habitats in urban areas
| Author: |
Lawton, Kenneth; Wiken, Ed B. |
| Date: |
2000 |
| Periodical: |
The Forestry Chronicle |
| Abstract: |
With so much of Canada consisting of "wild" habitat, little attention is being paid to the comparatively few species that still live in and around our cities and suburbs. And yet in our cities we often hear of surprising, sometimes disconcerting, interactions between humans and wild species. There may be fascinating encounters with unusual and prized species like owls or falcons. We can marvel at the sight of impressive trees or the ancient cycles of remnant fish streams. And there is little that is more essentially Canadian than the sight of a police cruiser quietly maintaining a respectful distance from a moose as it saunters through a subdivision in the early morning. There are also more unfortunate encounters between humans and wildlife. Skunks or raccoons and householders or their pets do not mix well. In summer, the sudden dart of an animal into traffic startles drivers and may cause accidents. Road kill is all too common. As city dwellers, are our encounters with and relationships with wildlife removed from reality? Do city people consider urban wildlife to be nothing more than a nuisance? Many people will say that cities are for humans and the wilderness is for animals. In the cities, the Canadian experience with urban wildlife and wildlife habitats is still very much an "us-or-them" proposition. If they disturb or threaten "us," we will eliminate "them."
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