Animal Welfare Considerations in Urban Design

Cities are increasingly recognised as important wildlife habitats. Urban design choices profoundly affect the welfare of wildlife navigating built environments.

Key Facts

Over 50% of the global human population lives in cities, and urbanisation is the fastest-growing driver of habitat change
Glass buildings kill an estimated 1 billion birds annually in North America through collision
Light pollution affects migration patterns, breeding, and predator-prey dynamics of urban wildlife
Green corridors and green roofs support wildlife movement through cities with measurable welfare benefits
Urban heat islands create thermal stress for wildlife without shade or water access in summer
Cities that adopt wildlife-inclusive design attract pollinators, birds, and urban mammals that benefit ecosystem services

Welfare Considerations

Urban design is a welfare intervention that operates at scale — a city that adopts bird-safe glazing, reduces light pollution, and creates green infrastructure improves the welfare of millions of individual animals simultaneously. The welfare considerations extend from collision prevention (window markings, reduced glass facades) to microhabitat provision (bird and bat boxes, wildflower margins, water sources) to connectivity (wildlife corridors that allow movement through the urban matrix). Planners who understand urban wildlife welfare can make design choices that create cities hospitable to human and non-human inhabitants alike.

What You Can Do

Advocate for bird-safe glazing standards in local planning regulations for new buildings
Install window decals or external screens on glass facades in your home or workplace
Create wildlife-friendly gardens with water, native plants, nesting opportunities, and pesticide-free management
Engage with your local council about light pollution reduction and green corridor planning
Support organisations like RSPB, Buglife, and Plantlife in their urban biodiversity programmes