About
As populations grow and urbanization spreads, interactions between humans and wildlife have become increasingly common. In daily life, you may notice songbirds and squirrels going about their routines. But more elusive species, such as the gray fox and the bobcat, also call this city home. These animals all play important parts of the ecosystem of Athens, so understanding them is integral to improving the coexistence of our community.
To make this possible, the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Extension partnered with the Urban Wildlife Information Network to create the Athens Urban Wildlife Project. Athens became the 35th city to join a collective that now includes over 55 cities around the world, all working towards the shared goal of building the largest global network of urban wildlife data. The project is now expanding through a partnership with Athens-Clarke County’s Sustainability Office in order to spread awareness on the importance of protecting our greenspaces and the wildlife who inhabit them.
As populations grow and urbanization spreads, interactions between humans and wildlife have become increasingly common. In daily life, you may notice songbirds and squirrels going about their routines. But more elusive species, such as the gray fox and the bobcat, also call this city home. These animals all play important parts of the ecosystem of Athens, so understanding them is integral to improving the coexistence of our community.
To make this possible, the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources Extension partnered with the Urban Wildlife Information Network to create the Athens Urban Wildlife Project. Athens became the 35th city to join a collective that now includes over 55 cities around the world, all working towards the shared goal of building the largest global network of urban wildlife data. The project is now expanding through a partnership with Athens-Clarke County’s Sustainability Office in order to spread awareness on the importance of protecting our greenspaces and the wildlife who inhabit them.
What are we trying to study?
Alongside understanding how wildlife adapts to urban environments and interacts with humans, we also aim to understand how different factors influence wildlife behavior. This includes how socioeconomic status influences level of urbanization, and how different species adapt to this urbanization.
How are we doing this?
To observe local wildlife, our staff have installed 39 motion-activated cameras across Athens, capturing photos of a wide range of species in the city’s diverse habitats. These cameras are placed everywhere from public parks to landfills, fire stations to the local zoo. Thanks to a generous grant from the UGA Office of Sustainability, we are also now including audio recording devices (ARUs) to our sites, allowing us to gather data on species that are not usually seen on camera. These include reptiles, amphibians, and birds.
What are we trying to study?
Alongside understanding how wildlife adapts to urban environments and interacts with humans, we also aim to understand how different factors influence wildlife behavior. This includes how socioeconomic status influences level of urbanization, and how different species adapt to this urbanization.
How are we doing this?
To observe local wildlife, our staff have installed 39 motion-activated cameras across Athens, capturing photos of a wide range of species in the city’s diverse habitats. These cameras are placed everywhere from public parks to landfills, fire stations to the local zoo. Thanks to a generous grant from the UGA Office of Sustainability, we are also now including audio recording devices (ARUs) to our sites, allowing us to gather data on species that are not usually seen on camera. These include reptiles, amphibians, and birds.