Urbanisation and its effects on wildlife behaviour

Abstract

Urbanisation is rapidly transforming natural landscapes into built environments, leading to profound consequences for wildlife behaviour and ecology. As cities expand, animals face habitat fragmentation, altered resource availability, and increased human interaction. This paper explores how urbanisation influences behavioural adaptations in wildlife, including changes in foraging strategies, activity patterns, social structures, and stress responses. While some species exhibit remarkable plasticity and thrive in urban settings, others struggle to cope, resulting in population declines or local extinctions. The study also highlights the emergence of novel behaviours, such as synanthropy and altered predator-prey dynamics, and discusses the ecological and evolutionary implications of these shifts. Understanding these behavioural changes is crucial for developing sustainable urban planning and conservation strategies that promote coexistence between humans and wildlife.