Lincoln Park Zoo

About Urban Wildlife Institute
Utilizing Lincoln Park Zoo’s diverse scientific specialties, the Urban Wildlife Institute studies the interaction between urban development and the natural ecosystem to develop scientific standards for minimizing conflict between these overlapping areas. Landscape ecology, population biology, epidemiology, endocrinology, veterinary medicine and other core disciplines contribute to an increased understanding of ecosystem health in an urban setting. The Urban Wildlife Institute aims to use Chicago as a model for urban areas struggling to deal with wildlife relocation, rehabilitation, disease and conflicts.

“Worldwide, urban sprawl brings with it increased interactions between humans and wildlife,” said Eric Lonsdorf, Ph.D., director of the Urban Wildlife Institute. “Responses to wildlife conflicts can be extreme, extending to extermination or relocation. Our goal is to integrate science with local values to find more pragmatic solutions.”

One issue receiving special emphasis is the transmission of disease from animals to humans—another byproduct of urban sprawl. By studying how people and animals interact in an urban setting, the Urban Wildlife Institute can help scientists to better understand—and curb—zoonotic disease threats such as West Nile virus, rabies and avian influenza.

Supported by a $1.5 million grant from the Davee Foundation, the Urban Wildlife Institute is forming partnerships with local nature and conservation organizations and conducting pilot studies into ecosystem health and human-wildlife interaction. By developing standards for managing urban wildlife issues, the institute is creating a conflict-management model that can be followed worldwide.

Related Projects

Urban Wildlife Biodiversity Monitoring
Monitoring stations from city to suburbs will help scientists chronicle the wildlife of the Chicago region.

Avian Nest Predation along Urban-Rural Gradients
By developing models to explain higher nest predation in rural areas, scientists can help conserve native birds

Solving the Mystery of Declining Urban Foxes
By comparing the health of foxes in urban and rural areas, we hope to help unravel the mystery behind the species’ decline.

Chicago Area Pollinator Study
Employing citizen scientists to determine the diversity and abundance of bee species throughout the Chicago area

Rabbit Management Study at Lincoln Park Zoo
The zoo’s commitment to finding non-lethal solutions for conflicts between animals and people begins at home.

Urban Black-tailed Prairie Dog Ecology
A long-term study to unravel the role of black-tailed prairie dogs in urban ecosystems


Staff

Eric V. Lonsdorf
Director, Urban Wildlife Institute 		Seth Magle
Wildlife Ecologist
Alison Brown
Research Coordinator 		Victoria Hunt
Coordinator of Wildlife Management
Sarah Keenan Jacobi
David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow and Environmental Analyst		 Christina Kennedy
Postdoctoral Associate