Coexisting with Coyotes, Seagulls and Wild Boars: Navigating the Unexpected Urban Wildlife Encounters

Urban areas are home to a diverse range of wildlife species, from wild boars and hyenas to foxes and seagulls. Foxes, for example, have become adept at scavenging for natural foods supplemented by human-made waste, such as pigeons and leftovers from trash cans. They have mixed with humans for centuries and now thrive in urban environments, with high densities in cities like London and the Northeastern United States.

Coyotes have also become increasingly common in American cities in recent decades, scavenging for a flexible diet that includes small mammals, waste from trash cans, and even large mammals like deer and raccoons. However, scientists warn that coyotes carrying parasites and unhealthy bacteria from leftover food can pose a threat to humans.

Seagulls are another species that has adapted to urban environments, becoming ferocious opportunistic foragers that invade cities to steal food from picnics, barbecues, or even directly from humans. Declining fish stocks and loss of natural habitat have pushed seagulls to urban areas where they scavenge for food in trash or from humans.

Wild boars, typically reclusive animals, are also stepping into urban areas to scavenge for waste. In the US, they are considered an invasive species that causes significant agricultural losses. Meanwhile hyenas provide health and economic benefits in African cities by removing animal carcasses and preventing disease transmission among residents and livestock. Elephants in India scavenge piles of trash on the outskirts of cities but their consumption of plastic waste poses risks to their health. Grizzly and black bears in the US face increasing conflicts with humans as they search for food often breaking into homes in search of food.

As wildlife adapts to urban environments it is important for communities to understand and address the interactions between humans and these animals to promote safety and coexistence.