Urban heat islands elevate temperatures by 2-10 degrees Celsius above surrounding rural areas, creating physiological stress and behavioural disruption for urban wildlife year-round.
Urban heat islands impose a thermal welfare burden on city wildlife that has received limited attention compared to other urban wildlife challenges. Animals adapted to temperate conditions face chronic heat stress that compromises immune function, reproductive success, and behavioural repertoire. Urban wildlife that cannot thermoregulate adequately — amphibians, small mammals, and insects most notably — face welfare harms that accumulate over warmer months and increasingly warmer winters. Urban greening, cool corridor planting, and urban water feature provision all reduce thermal stress for urban wildlife while providing co-benefits for human urban residents.