Interactions Between People and Wildlife in Urbanizing Landscapes

In little more than 100 years, America has been transformed from a rural to an urban society in which 8 out of every 10 people live in cities or associated metropolitan areas. This change has affected the way that people interact with wildlife and has introduced new and unique situations in which human-wildlife conflicts arise and must be dealt with. Most urban wildlife problems occur in and around primary residences or nodes (e.g., airports, golf courses, lake fronts) and involve only a few species. This relationship may change as urban landscapes mature or expand through restoration efforts, or as more wildlife species develop the special tolerances necessary to adapt to urban environments. How urbanites interact and deal with wildlife in conflict situations affects their overall perception of wild animals in complex ways. Given the voter majority that the urban population now comprises, these perceptions will inevitably translate through the political process into decisions that influence how wildlife issues are dealt with everywhere