As cities expand, wildlife increasingly inhabits urban environments. Managing human-wildlife conflict in ways that prioritise animal welfare is an emerging challenge for urban planners and policymakers.
Urban wildlife exists in a permanent state of potential conflict with human habitation. Animals are injured, poisoned, and killed in response to conflicts that are frequently manageable through non-lethal means. The welfare of urban wildlife is poorly served by reflexive culling responses that are both ineffective long-term and cause significant suffering. Approaches that modify human behaviour and habitat, combined with targeted deterrence for genuine conflicts, achieve better outcomes for both wildlife and humans while avoiding unnecessary killing.