Concrete Jungles, Real Wildlife

March 14, 2026

From coyotes trotting through Chicago neighborhoods to bats pouring out from under Austin bridges, wildlife is showing up in places many Americans never expected. We explore why animals are thriving in urban environments and how cities are slowly turning back into ecosystems where humans are just one of many residents.

Guests:

Dr. Peter Alagona, associate professor, environmental studies, University of California – Santa Barbara, author, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities
Dr. Stanley Gehrt, professor, wildlife ecology, The Ohio State University.

Today, U.S. Cities are cleaner, have more parks and trees and there are more conservation efforts in place to protect wildlife. Dr. Alagona says that cities also draw in a lot of resources that inadvertently attract species.

Across cities, coyotes typically hunt birds, rodents and deer. In Chicago, they’ve helped keep some bird populations in check.