With the expansion of cities & human life, maybe forms of wildlife animals have receded into nature, or simply decreased in population. A few became extinct.

Unlike most other animals, many were able to find a way to not just survive, but THRIVE with humans. In today's post, we will be going over the 7 most common urban wildlife animals.

Note: We did not include dogs or cats because they are typically pets. It should be noted however that in some cities wild dogs & cats are abundant. This list is in no particular order.

Rats & Mice

Rats and mice together LOVE human cities. The reason for this is because cities provide shelter, sustenance, and protection from predators.

With cities, sewers, and the ability to go in the many abundant tight spaces, these little critters have the ability to explode in numbers. They don't typically need much to survive, making them perfectly suited for cities.

The typically aren't a problem and many have been converted to pets. Rats particularly can spread disease however. The Black Death in Europe for example was spread by rats- and it wiped out 1/3 of Europe's population!

Pigeons

Pigeons are THE most common "city bird." There are also many other types of birds which have thrived because of cities.

Easy access to food & water, as well as many perches to remain safe on, allow birds to thrive because of human expansion. Many humans also feed these birds, making it all that much easier for bird populations to expand.

Raccoons

These cute little devils are believed by scientists to be more intelligent than dogs! A persistent raccoon can solve complex human locks.

Raccoons are curious, motivated, and intelligent. Urban raccoons are smarter than rural raccoons significantly. Human cities are training grounds for raccoon intelligence, allowing them to expand & grow at a rapid rate.

Many raccoons will find their ways into human homes, trash cans, attics, and more. They typically aren't a problem, but can carry & transmit rabies.

If you are bit by a wildlife animal, get checked out immediately. Raccoons tend to aggression, so keep humans & pets away from them. They don't typically attack unless hungry or aggravated (so you'll be fine).

Squirrels

Squirrels, unlike rabbits, don't typically eat human food. Instead they collect fruit & nuts.

Did you know they didn't naturally agree with urban expansion? They were forced back into human parks from humans, and thrived as a result of it.

These creatures can carry disease but are generally no problem. They won't attack, and always run away from humans. Not to mention, they're cute!

Rabbits

The cutest animal on this list: the rabbit or bunny! As cute as these critters are, they do have a dark side.

Rabbits will eat anything in the yard or garden. Flowers? Gone. Garden? Completely eaten.

If you are growing flowers or have a garden, we recommend fencing it off. These creatures are cute and fun, and typically no problem otherwise.

Skunks

You can recognize skunk spray by the awful, persisting smell. Skunk spray is no fun! It can also temporarily blind you.

Generally speaking skunks are no problem. Like raccoons, they are nocturnal, so they are usually out only at night.

As long as you don't attack, chase, or aggravate a skunk, you will be fine. If you do, be prepared to get sprayed by the worst smell ever (that's also very hard to get rid of)!

 

That's it! The 7 most common urban wildlife animals revealed. We hope you enjoyed this post & looking forward to seeing you in the future. :)
-Wildlife x Team International