Habitat suitability as an indicator of urbanisation potential in four UK mammals

Abstract

Urban environments provide opportunities for some species but are inhospitable for others. However, those which thrive can be found at higher densities in human‐dominated landscapes than in more rural habitats. This highlights the importance of understanding species responses to human environments. It is not only important for the conservation of urban wildlife but also may provide fundamental insights into human‐wildlife coexistence globally. Here, we use citizen science data to predict the habitat suitability of Greater London for the West European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), the red fox (Vulpes vulpes), the European badger (Meles meles) and the Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Results indicate that the four target species prefer different urban habitats, indicating different levels of urbanisation potential. Foxes and grey squirrels are able to thrive in inner urban areas, with the highest values of habitat suitability for these species found in central London, whereas for hedgehogs and badgers, the highest habitat suitability occurs in suburban and more rural habitats in outer London, respectively. These results highlight a gradient in urban tolerance, from squirrels and foxes to hedgehogs and badgers. This work also shows the importance of urban green spaces as habitats for wildlife.

StadtWildTiere – added value and impact of transnational urban wildlife community science projects

“…Increasing knowledge about and raising awareness of wildlife is particularly important in urban areas, which are steadily growing worldwide and often negatively affect biodiversity (e.g., McKinney, 2002;Grimm et al, 2008;Elmqvist et al, 2013). Nonetheless, many species can cope with such altered environmental conditions (McDonnell and Hahs, 2015;Szulkin et al, 2020;Fung et al, 2023) thereby providing connectivity among potentially isolated populations in non-urban areas and a reservoir for unique genotypes that are adapted for potential future changes to currently non-urban habitats (Dearborn and Kark, 2010). Even more, urban areas may provide refuges for certain species that find more favorable habitats within the urban realms than on intensively managed agricultural lands (e.g., Taucher et al, 2020;Boakes et al, 2023).…”