I have a wildlife zoo

Chapter 419 Urban Animals

"Urban animals?"

Fang Ye explained, "Yes, like recently we're preparing to set up an agricultural field exhibition area to let visitors understand the ecosystem in the fields, know where their food comes from, and how food that is environmentally friendly is grown. The themes are along these lines.

I also plan to build a corresponding urban animal exhibition area later on, which will mainly focus on how humans and animals can coexist together. Can you provide some examples in this regard?"

Wang Yan nodded in understanding and after pondering for a moment said, "Urban animals are very interesting, completely different from wild animals in the countryside. I remember traveling to Chicago about six or seven years ago, staying near the botanical garden. My friend excitedly said, 'If you stay here, you might see 1242.'

"1242?"

"1242 is a coyote, I saw him the very first night I stayed there.

He walked past a construction site, the site was lit up and flashing warnings, but 1242 seemed very relaxed and at ease, apparently fully adapted to the urban environment.

But soon we began to see him during the day too, which puzzled me. The staff in Chicago earnestly told me, 'Wang, you came at the right time, as we might be witnessing a new change in the coyote 1242 represents, shifting from nocturnal to diurnal activities.

Because 1242's mate, 1244, had been shot by a resident a couple of weeks earlier when she wandered into their backyard. But 1242 and 1244 were raising a litter together, and he alone couldn't provide enough food for the young coyotes.

So he began to forage not only at night but also during the day, and we just happened to witness this rapid change these past few days."

Then from the videos and materials tracking coyotes by the researchers, we learned that coyotes in the city look at traffic lights; they know that it's safe to cross when the pedestrian crossing turns green, sauntering past the cars, and they also know which places are dangerous, where there is food, which dogs can be provoked and which cannot.

The staff then told us, 'We are always underestimating the coyote's ability to adapt to city life. Coyotes are constantly refreshing our understanding of them.@@@@

Along Lake Michigan, there's a narrow belt of greenery encircling the lake. 1242 can traverse the entire city along this green belt, and then penetrate deeper into the city center in areas where the greenery is better and safer.

If you poke a field mouse or give it a slight electric shock, it will be very alarmed, affecting its eating and sleeping habits and the rhythm of its life, but the city mouse doesn't care, you poke me, and I just keep doing what I do.

Its immune system, endocrine, and hormonal regulation, as well as its response to external stimuli, have all become more resilient due to urban life."

Fang Ye feels something familiar about this and says with a chuckle, "Isn't this the 'lying flat' phenomenon we have now? Better to live a more relaxed life than to work oneself to death."

Wang Yan also laughed, "Indeed, there are many similarities. This is also a kind of adaptability demonstrated by humans."

Fang Ye asked seriously, "About coyotes, red foxes and such, you spoke of them adjusting to the city, changing themselves to adapt to it, are there any positive actions we humans have taken proactively?"

Wang Yan's face showed a trace of emotion, "The monarch butterfly is one example that particularly stands out to me."

Fang Ye raised his eyebrows, "Oh, the monarch butterfly!"

The monarch butterfly must be one of the world's most famous butterflies!

Black-edged wings, orange-yellow feathers; not only are they beautiful, but their migration is also quite spectacular, almost covering the sky. I've seen the butterfly many times in documentaries as a child.

Wang Yan started to explain, "Americans especially love the monarch butterfly, both for raising and admiring them, but in the past 20 years, the population of monarch butterflies has decreased by 80%, with their numbers plummeting, bringing the monarch butterfly to the brink of vulnerability and even endangerment. At this rate, they might become extinct in a few decades."

Fang Ye let out a slight sigh.

"It was discovered that the sharp decline in their numbers was due to increasingly high temperatures, habitat destruction, extensive use of insecticides and herbicides, as well as the inaction of the U.S. government in managing areas along highways.

However, pushing the government and the Department of Transportation to establish laws and regulations regarding insecticides and herbicides, to make such a change, is very difficult."