Book Title: Innovative Approaches in Multidisciplinary Research and Development (IAMRD)
Chief Editors: Dr. Anil Kashinath Salunke and Dr. Rituraj Pant
Associate Editors: Prof. (Dr.) Sourav Madhur Dey and Dr. Amrutha Satheesan
Co-Editors: Dr. Souvik Sur and Dr. Phakir Singh
ISBN: 978-93-7183-004-1
Chapter: 11
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59646/708/11
Author: Dr. Kamal Saini
Abstract
As the natural landscape is replaced by urban areas and towns through the pace at which urbanisation has developed, urban wildlife has adapted to the human driven environment. This research paper is about the adaptations of behavioural, physiological and ecological adaptations of various animal species in adapting, adjusting and even prospering in human-made ecosystem. The study employs a mixed method approach, which interweaves quantitative data (urban biodiversity surveys and population monitoring reports) with qualitative information (field studies and wildlife behaviour analyses based on documented information). The results show that urban areas have the potential to offer challenges and opportunities to wildlife. Some species have a poor chance of survival due to habitat fragmentation, pollution, noise and disturbance by humans, but other species are highly adaptable. Pigeons, rats, crows, foxes, and raccoons are examples of species that show great behavioural flexibility such as changing eating habits, moving from daytime to night time activity and sheltering in and building nests in man-made structures. New opportunities for food resource acquisition and decreased predation also occur in urban settings, allowing some populations to grow in numbers very quickly. Furthermore, there is a large range of responses from species: species that are highly adaptable and generalists will probably be able to withstand a lot better than specialist species are going to be able to withstand. The study also underscores the importance of green infrastructure, including parks and green roofs, as well as urban forests, for the preservation of biodiversity and co-existence between people and wildlife. Urban planning strategies, maintaining ecological corridors and incorporating designs that consider biodiversity during urban development are among the policy recommendations. The findings from this research build on the emerging concept of urban ecology as a dynamic ecosystem, one where evolutionary and behavioural changes are underway and are applicable to urban environments. The results offer important insights for urban planners, environmental policy makers, and conservation biologists who are striving to design an urban landscape that is sustainable and inclusive of biodiversity. Furthermore, long-term monitoring has indicated that certain species, favourable to urban environments, might even experience micro evolutionary changes due to the constant exposure to the urban stress factors. The research results highlighted the importance of ongoing studies of human-wildlife relations for the development of a balanced and sustainable urban environment.
Keywords: Urban wildlife, urban ecology, animal adaptation, human-wildlife interaction, biodiversity, urbanization, behavioural adaptation, ecological resilience, wildlife conservation, man-made environments.