From wild hogs to hyenas, numerous wildlife species are being drawn to urban areas and thriving in some of the world's largest cities.
Foxes
Foxes are roaming the streets of the United Kingdom. (Photo: BBC)
As twilight descends on cities across Europe each night, red foxes emerge from their dens and begin prowling the streets. Sometimes, they can be seen walking casually among pedestrians or scavenging through garbage cans. These adaptable omnivores will forage for natural foods like berries and insects, supplementing their diet with pigeons and scraps from dumpsters.
Foxes have lived alongside humans for millennia. Today, they are thriving in urban environments, with densities as high as 18 per square kilometer in London alone. They are also found in American cities, particularly in the Northeast.
Coyotes
Coyotes have become increasingly common in American cities in recent decades. They are opportunistic scavengers that will eat almost anything, including rodents, rabbits, frogs, lizards, and garbage. A 2022 study of the diet of coyotes in New York City found that they were eating large mammals like deer and raccoons as well as human foods like chicken, pork, and beef. Their flexible diet allows them to adapt well to urban living. However, scientists warn that coyotes' consumption of human garbage can pose a threat to people, as they can carry unhealthy parasites and bacteria.
Seagulls
In coastal areas, seagulls are aggressive opportunistic feeders that invade cities and towns to steal food from picnics, outdoor barbecues, or even snatching snacks right out of people's hands. Declining fish stocks and loss of natural habitat are driving seagulls to seek food elsewhere, including in cities and landfills. Over time, they have developed sophisticated skills for stealing food from garbage cans or directly from people, according to researcher Paul Graham of the University of Sussex in England.
Wild Hogs
Wild hogs rummage for food in garbage in Teufelssee, Germany. (Photo: Ingolf König-Jablonski/dpa)
Despite their reclusive nature, the allure of suburban living is enticing wild hogs to come out of the shadows. From the hillsides of Hong Kong to the beaches of Marbella in the Mediterranean, wild hogs are rooting through trash. In Berlin, they have been known to take naps in paddling pools. Wherever wild hogs go, local authorities or culling teams are often quick to follow.
In the United States, wild hogs are also considered an invasive species. Numbering around 6 million and growing, at least 35 states have reported the presence of wild hogs. They cause an estimated $2.5 billion in annual crop damage in the U.S., primarily to corn and peanuts.
Hyenas
Hyenas have a fearsome reputation in the animal kingdom. But these scavengers are not all bad. Hyenas provide major health and economic benefits to African cities, according to a 2021 study by the University of Michigan. In Mekelle, a city in northern Ethiopia, hyenas removed an estimated 207 tons of animal carcasses per year, preventing the spread of anthrax and bovine tuberculosis among human residents as well as livestock such as sheep and goats. In the eastern Ethiopian city of Harar, they roam the city at night, eating scraps and offal left behind by butchers.
Elephants
Elephants are frequently spotted foraging for food in garbage dumps on the outskirts of Kotdwar, a city in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. They probe the trash with their trunks, occasionally pausing to swallow any edible morsels they discover. They are among the largest land animals on the planet, belonging to the Asian elephant species. Kotdwar, a rapidly developing city with an estimated population of 45,000, is situated on the edge of a forest where the elephants live. As urban areas expand near forests, such development is providing elephants with an unexpected food source. The elephants that live near Kotdwar are particularly accustomed to scavenging for garbage. However, their dung samples consistently contain plastic bags, food wrappers, and even disposable cutlery, according to a research team at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.
A study of elephants foraging at a garbage dump in southern Sri Lanka found that they were in better physical condition than elephants that did not consume human refuse. However, there have been reports of elephants dying after ingesting large amounts of plastic waste. Additionally, the potential for human-elephant conflict can have deadly consequences for both parties.
Bears
A grizzly bear breaks into a home in British Columbia, Canada. (Photo: CBC)
In the United States, encounters between bears and humans are becoming increasingly common. Grizzly bears are native to the western United States, while black bears are widely distributed in forested areas across the country. They are highly intelligent animals with acute senses of smell and a voracious appetite, and will travel long distances in search of food.
The majority of bear conflicts occur when human food sources, such as garbage, pet food, or fruit trees, are readily available. Bears have been known to break into homes in order to steal food. While hunting bears is still permitted in some states in the U.S., wildlife officials are educating communities about how to coexist peacefully with bears.
Summary
A wide range of wild animals are adapting to urban environments, from foxes and coyotes in Europe and North America to elephants and hyenas in Africa and Asia. While some species can provide benefits to urban ecosystems, others can pose risks to public health and safety. As human populations continue to grow and cities expand, understanding the challenges and opportunities of wildlife in urban areas will become increasingly important.