What wildlife wanders, forages and hunts in our urban ecosystem? Some species are new arrivals, and others have been here all along, thank you. Using Lincoln Park Zoo’s diverse scientific specialties, the Urban Wildlife Institute studies the interaction between metropolitan development and nature. Learn about how we can minimize human-wildlife conflict and sustain biodiversity. Hear about how the Urban Wildlife Institute aims for Chicago to become a model for urban areas struggling with wildlife relocation, rehabilitation, disease, and conflicts, and how they have created a scientific model for urban wildlife biology now followed by more than fifty other cities worldwide.
Seth Magle first became interested in conservation and ecology as a college student while observing black-tailed prairie dogs living in sidewalk median strips near his home in Boulder, Colorado. Daily interactions with these fascinating animals made him wonder what allowed these small, seemingly helpless mammals to survive in such a highly urban habitat. Eventually, he completed an honors thesis on the behavior of this urban-adapted keystone species; he ultimately expanded on that research for both a master’s degree (from the University of Wisconsin) and a doctorate (from Colorado State University).
However, Seth’s interests go far beyond prairie dogs to encompass all wildlife species impacted by urbanization and human development. He has researched urban wildlife species for more than 20 years and published nearly 50 research articles. He is now the director of the Urban Wildlife Institute and the executive director of the Urban Wildlife Information Network, an alliance of urban wildlife researchers spanning 23 cities.
His vision is to help create a world where urban ecosystems represent an important component of the worldwide conservation of biodiversity.
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