Meet Your Wild Neighbours: A Dive Into Urban Wildlife

By: Michael Allen Bryden

When you think of urban wildlife I’m willing to bet the first thing that comes to mind is that raccoon you've caught eating your garbage, but when you take a closer look, this type of wild interaction can be broken down and categorized. The species that live within our towns and cities are represented as either human associates, exploiters, adapters, or avoiders. These titles are used to differentiate between animals that take advantage of anthropogenic (human caused) development and those who are negatively affected by it. To better understand our wild neighbours we must first understand their role within our community.

Human associates, also known as human exploiters, are often omnivorous or generalist species that take advantage of human development for habitat or food supply. Food can come in a multitude of places but often comes in the form of gardens, garbage, pet food, and other exploiter species living around them. Exploiter species populations frequently thrive due to the abundance of food available within neighbourhoods. Some of these associate species are desired in our backyards, such as song birds that eat the seed humans provide within bird feeders, whereas other species are considered nuisance animals. Wildlife such as Racoons and Virginia Opossum are often considered problematic due to property damage and the potential to carry disease.

Human adapters are species that utilize human resources and urbanized areas, but do not necessarily receive any additional benefits from these areas. These species are generally found within more rural communities and can inhabit a large variety of habitats. Species such as white-tailed deer and red fox can generalise their needs and are not often problematic.

Human avoiders are species not often found in human dominated areas but may occasionally make their way in during migration seasons or during an attempt to disperse. These species frequently do have a history as problematic due to their lack of human interaction on a regular basis. Avoiders have a specific habitat they call home and it is often human development that cuts through their home range. Mountain lions and grey wolves are good examples of avoider species.

Urban darwinism is a term used to describe the rapid change wildlife is undergoing in urban areas. Through natural selection, species within cities and suburbs have evolved to adapt to their surroundings. Proof of this is all around us. For example, some species of song birds within towns have adapted their calls to adjust for human traffic. This makes their calls higher in pitch than that of their rural cousins. The topic of urban darwinism is a complex and expansive subject on its own, but it's important to understand how wildlife has changed with the introduction of humans.

In The Land Between, we are able to experience a wide variety of urbanized animals thanks to the vast wilderness that surrounds us. Meet a few of the species that might also call your neighbourhood home below!

Racoon, Human associate/exploiter

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Racoons are arguably the most famous of the urbanized animals. Although they may come off as pests, racoons are simply opportunistic, taking advantage of an easier way of life. This mammal has the ability to climb, swim, and dig thanks to their thumb-like digits on their front paws. This allows them to access food in locations other animals may not be able to by opening garbage cans, digging through garbage bags, and picking out seeds from bird feeders. They are expert omnivores and will eat anything organic if hungry enough. Even though racoons have a special connection with garbage, the term “lotor” in their scientific names directly translates to “washer” in Latin. This is because racoons are often seen rinsing their food off in the water before eating. Racoons are experts of the night, beginning their nightly routine around dusk with active hours peaking around midnight. In Ontario, racoons are one of the most common reservoirs of the rabies virus, but as long as pets are kept in check and you keep a safe distance from them, there is nothing to fear.

Striped skunk, Human adapter

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Skunks get a bad reputation, which is not entirely undeserved if you’re considering them based on smell alone! Striped skunks are opportunistic, and their diets change based on the season. In the spring and summer months, skunks are mainly insectivores, eating beetles and other insects they come in contact with. Later in the year, they begin to feed on corn and fruit such as blackberries, raspberries, and mulberries. In the winter months, they feast on a more carnivorous diet, consuming small mammals, birds, and amphibians. Skunks are most famous for their specialized defense mechanism used to deter predators. They spray a foul-smelling fluid from glands located at the base of their tail that can sting and even blind the threat. This fluid can be sprayed at a distance of up to 3 meters away. A skunk is prepared to spray if it begins stomping its feet, hissing, and curling its body. But remember, as long as you don’t approach skunks and keep your pets out of their way when walking at dusk and throughout the night, you’ll be just fine!

Virginia opossum, Human associate/exploiter

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These North American marsupials may have adapted perfectly to live the urban life, but do not often have a defined home range. Virginia Opossums are wanderers that travel great distances at night in search of food. Thanks to their sharp claws and thumb-like toes, opossums are fantastic climbers and can be found in trees or high structures looking for food or evading predators. When face to face with a potential threat, rather than running, they perform an act famously dubbed as “playing possum”. During this performance they freeze up, slightly gaping their mouths with their eyes open, in an attempt to look dead. They are the only native marsupial to North America, and like kangaroos, have babies known as joeys. Due to their low body temperatures, opossums have a hard time contracting rabies, making them less of a threat to a domestic animals' life.

Squirrels, Human associate/exploiter

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There are a few species of squirrel that can be found through Ontario, but in The Land Between the two most common you may see are the Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) and the Red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). The Eastern gray squirrel comes in two colour variations known as the gray phase and the black phase. Neither Eastern gray nor Red squirrel species hibernate and both enjoy the nuts and acorns provided by deciduous trees. Red squirrels specifically quite enjoy feasting upon the seeds within cones of coniferous trees, leaving behind a “midden” or pile of inedible cone parts discarded from their meal. On the other hand, the Gray squirrel is more of a scatter hoarder. They bury each nut underground in a shallow hole in a different location and retrieve them at a later date. Eighty five percent of the nuts buried are retrieved by the same squirrel but those that are not go on to become the next generation of trees!

Red Fox, Human adapter

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Despite their colourful fur, red foxes have no intention to be flashy. Although commonly nocturnal, these mammals are most active at dawn and dusk while others sometimes venture out during the day. As omnivores, foxes eat anything from small rodents to bird eggs, but will not hesitate to enjoy fruits, nuts, and garbage if the opportunity arises. These foxes actively defend their territory, harassing intruding foxes and scent-marking their territory with urine and feces. Den sites are often created by other animals like groundhogs and skunks before the red fox moves in. Each den has multiple entrances and provides a safe space for food storage and raising pups. Although a den provides safety from the outside world, adult red foxes are often found sleeping outside of the den or within open fields. Red foxes have such advanced hearing that they are able to locate rodents under the snow. Although foxes prefer to keep to themselves, it is important to keep your pets away from them as they can carry rabies, canine distemper, and mange.

Bats, Human associate/exploiter

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There are many species of bat that call Ontario home. When dusk falls before the sun completely sets you may be able to see the dark figure of bats flying through your backyard. Although most active near the water's edge, bats are most commonly seen in urban areas roosting (nesting) in people’s houses. Bats are nocturnal aerial insectivores, meaning they feed on insects in the air while they are active at night, navigating their way through echolocation. Some studies suggest that a single bat can eat 10 mosquitos a minute! Because of this, humans stand to benefit from bats’ aerial pest control! While bats are known to carry rabies, fortunately there are no species of Ontario bats that bite humans. To provide habitat for bats (and therefore encourage them to stay out of places like attics and garages), you can consider placing “bat boxes” in your yard!

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Coyotes, Human adapter

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Like other wild dogs, coyotes can be found living in pairs or small groups made up of the previous year's litter, but are also quite effective at living independently. They are opportunist and generalist feeders, taking advantage of any small mammals they can pursue. Coyotes have also been known to hunt deer, songbirds, fish, amphibians, and even the unattended house pet. Thanks to their amazing ability to adapt, a coyote's diet changes based on its environment and they can eat whatever is available to them. In the late summer and early fall, you may begin to hear coyotes yip and howl. They do so to mark territory or reunite themselves with their groups. In a single day a coyote can travel up to 16 km with a homerange between 10-40 km squared. Coyotes are usually monogamous and mate for life with pups being born in April and May. It is thought that when a coyote population faces threats, the breeding population produces larger litters to counteract the decline. Like foxes, coyotes can carry rabies, canine distemper, and mange. It's important to remember to keep your distance and your pets away from them.

Black bear

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American Black bears are the most widespread bear in North America, making it not so out of place for them to wander through your neighbourhood! Bears prefer to keep to themselves but may be seen crossing through urban areas in search of food. The largest human-bear conflict occurs in regards to garbage, which bears find quite delicious. Black bears are omnivores and will eat anything if the opportunity arises. A simple way to prevent bear encounters on your street is to use bear proof trash cans and to follow simple bear wise protocols. In the fall, bears are most actively looking for food as they are trying to store substantial fat in preparation for winter dormancy. Although bears do not want to cause trouble, it is important to remember that they are capable of causing serious damage if they feel threatened. Please keep your distance if you see a bear within your neighbourhood and report the sighting.

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Red-tailed hawk, Human adapter

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Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawk in North America and can be found living throughout a wide range of habitats. Their diets consist of mainly small rodents such as mice, rats, and squirrels as well as smaller birds. These hawks can often be seen perched on hydrolines scoping out their next prey. Once their prey is caught, the red-tailed hawk uses its sharp, hook-shaped beak to tear its food into smaller pieces. This species of hawk can be seen in many different morphs varying from light to dark in colour. In the wild, red-tailed hawks face no natural predators, besides those who predate on eggs within their nest, but in urban areas, they face threats of automobile collision and nest disturbance.

White-tailed deer, Human adapter

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White-tailed deer are particularly well known throughout Ontario. Being a large mammal, they play a big role in the health of their ecosystems. White-tails are grazers, feeding on grassy vegetation in the spring and summer months. Because of this, they prefer open fields located next to forested cover. In the winter months, these deer become browsers, feeding on the buds of new branches and saplings. White-tailed deer are most active in the fall during the rutting (breeding) season. During this time, male deer display their large rack of antlers to show dominance and attract females. Through the spring, deer can be found feeding in the twilight hours of dusk and dawn, but in the summer they are found feeding in the middle of the day. Deer are beautiful to observe, but their presence does come with a list of issues. Deer in large populations have a direct negative effect on vegetation abundance. In the case of human interaction, deer carry tick-borne diseases and pose a risk due to deer-vehicle collisions.

Meet Your Wild Neighbours: A Dive Into Urban Wildlife

Racoon, Human associate/exploiter

Striped skunk, Human adapter

Virginia opossum, Human associate/exploiter

Squirrels, Human associate/exploiter

Red Fox, Human adapter

Bats, Human associate/exploiter

Coyotes, Human adapter

Black bear

Red-tailed hawk, Human adapter

White-tailed deer, Human adapter

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