Wildlife in the CityThe concept may seem strange, but most of us encounter wildlife in the city every day. In fact, cities have entire functioning ecosystems, with herbivores, omnivores, carnivores and scavengers in addition to people, pets, cars, houses, roads, buildings and businesses. Animals that live in cities tend to be intelligent and adaptable, and have been able to change their lifestyles in order to take advantage of these urban habitats. The city of Denver has more food, year round water supplies, and endless possibilities of shelter, and a city can actually support a greater number of individual animals than a comparable sized prairie would!
Not all animals can thrive in close proximity to people, so the animal inhabitants of a city are a unique combination. Fox squirrels and coyotes would rarely live together in their native habitats, but have found common resources in the city.
Denver values the need for a complete and functioning ecosystem. If we had no predators, we’d soon be over run with rodents. No insects would mean many plants would disappear. Understanding what animals live in the city and what their normal behavior is can help us live comfortably with our furry, feathered, scaly and other residents.
Learning about urban wildlife helps us create safe, healthy environments and allows us to support the needs of both human and animals. Here you can find resources to learn about living with urban wildlife.
Goals are to improve wildlife habitat, provide opportunities for citizens to experience wildlife, and to create win-win solutions between people and animals:
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a) Through planning, restoration, management and designation, provide and maintain habitats for protection of wildlife and safety of humans.
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b) Through education, provide opportunities for people to observe, learn and appreciate wildlife in their natural habitat.
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c) Develop citywide guidelines for the protection and management of wildlife.
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d) Using GIS and template database, inventory wildlife.
Questions or concerns about urban wildlife?
Contact Kelly Uhing at kelly.uhing@denvergov.org or 720-913-0659.