Wildlife/ Urbanization

Environment   Mar 20, 2017 by Kennedy Rypien

Urban Sprawl and Roadways/ Pollution

Canada is one of th e most highly urbanized countries in the world. In 2011 more than 50 Canadian cities have a greater population than 100 000; which considers them to now be a metropolitan area. Between 2011 and 2016 the population of Canada has risen about 1% each year since 2011, with now a total of 1.7 million new residences since then. Urban areas cover only about 0.3% of the countries land base, but they account for the most energy used in Canada and the most pollution; with all the greenhouse gases produced, pollutants released into the air, water and soil and waste produced. 

Given Canadas vast expanse, people may think that there is plenty of room for these animals to live, but urbanization has brought in only harm to these animals habitats, leaving the animals with no place left to run. Urbanization occurs when humans gather in great numbers, this leads to towns flourishing into cities and then these cities to megacities. These huge cities stop animals from reproducing and flourishing and stops plants from growing and spreading. A big factor in urbanization is road construction; construction of new roads destroy habitats and raise the roadkill rates, these animals after their homes have been destroyed have to wander to find a new place to live, this often leads to them stranded  on roads and get run over. Another effect of road construction is the environment around them degenerate and cause poorly drained roads which harms the plants around the road and pollution by passing cars. 

Urban Sprawl and Development Threatening Biodiversity in Animals 

  Over the last 10 years in Calgary, Alberta about half of all collisions have involved an animal. In 2013 this accounted for almost 12 000 accidents which resulted in 433 injured people and 3 fatalities. In Alberta's capital, Edmonton, they have gone to great lengths to get studies and support for construction of urban animal crossing structures and implementing wildlife management procedures to minimize the collisions with animals. Calgary has a chance to build off of what Edmonton has done, with addressing the wildlife collisions this will have huge positive effects on the situation as the public will become more educated. Recognition of the importance of habitat protection was noted back in 1994 in a document called "Calgary's Natural Areas Management Plan", this was made by the municipal government and for the first time since  its creation it is being reviewed. In the original document it says “Urbanization has had and does have major impacts on the functioning of ecological units. Adequate habitat size, diversity, connectivity and healthy condition must be maintained in order to conserve viable areas for future use for people and wildlife.” if this goal is achieved then the diversity and numbers of the wildlife will increase in these areas. Deer are the largest species in the city and are very hard to manage. Calgary deer isolate themselves in the city year round, unlike other populations which migrate into other regions. They don't migrate because they seek refuge from the close hunting range of the mountains which surrounds Calgary. 

-Between May 2005 and May 2014 exactly 24 963 animals were killed on Calgary roadways. These accidents had 29 different species involved. Majority of these species were small mammals; rabbits accounted for 41% of the accidents, with the other small species being birds and squirrels (23%). Large species involved were coyotes (4%) but the abundance of bigger animals were deer (21%), which causes big safety and financial concerns. 

Societies Cost of Animal Collisions

- Collisions with animals can inflict serious damage and cause death to the animal and those inside the vehicle. The economic burden of deer collisions was developed in Huijser et al.’s (2009) peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Ecology & Science. According to these calculations, each time a deer is hit in Calgary it carries $11 775.42 of burden. This puts cost of deer collisions over 4 and a half year period at $10 833 386.40; This considers cost of the vehicle repair, towing, animal pickup and disposal and accident attendance and investigation. 

In the City of Calgary and most cities in Alberta, where population growth and urban sprawl are growing rapidly the human -wildlife conflicts keep pace with this rapid growth. It is time to acknowledge the need for a new strategy for urban development and economic expansion that accounts for the presence of wildlife and habitats. 

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